The Myth of Bellona
by SummerRaeBenson
Summary: Years after their night together dining on Paul, Dr. Lecter decides to revisit his lamb when she's caught in a new case that hits close to home. But while he intends to make his presence known when the time is right, it seems as though Clarice has a few deadly secrets of her own she wants to tell him of. Mixture of books and movies - Hannibal/Clarice
1. Chapter 1

**Please review! This is my first story for the ****_Hannibal_**** series, so we'll see how this goes. It will be a mix of the books and movies. It's also the first story I've written in full before posting any chapters. So while you are reading this, the actual story is completely finished and saved with 53 chapters. I'll try to post a chapter each week so it is regularly updated. I wanted to do it this way, because I get ahead of myself with other stories and didn't want to lose sight of this one. Hope you guys enjoy.**

Clarice swung open the door, the knob banging against the wall without a door jam to stop it. "Alright, I've been patient enough. There is no more time to negotiate," she said as she flexed her hands on the wooden posts.

"I've done this enough times to know I can still push this out longer." The muffled voice rang out. It was smooth like silk but piercing like a scalpel. "This isn't exactly life or death. Why the dramatics every time?"

"Don't start with me." Clarice oozed venom with her words before she reached over the end of the bed frame and tugged the bedspread completely off her daughter. "You're going to be late for school. Your principal has already chewed me out for your tardiness."

Her daughter shrugged her shoulders, not making a move otherwise to get up from her bed. She hugged a pillow to her chest, keeping her eyes closed. "Well if you'd let me get a car-"

Clarice clenched her teeth. "Bella Darion Starling, if you don't get your ass moving right now, I will call your ballet coach and tell him to find a new lead for the school performance."

Bella shot upright, glaring at her mother. "You wouldn't."

Clarice smirked as she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and held it up for her seventeen year old to see. "I negotiate with serial killers, rapists, and psychopaths every day, sweetheart. Calling your coach would be a walk in the park."

"Fine." Bella grumbled before standing from her bed and grabbing the outfit hanging on her closet door. "Are you actually going to make it to the performance next Friday? It's embarrassing having a seat reserved for you when you don't use it."

"And, I'm sorry about that. I have every intention of going. I haven't been pulled into the latest serial killer case going on, and I've made it clear I don't want to be disturbed next Friday." Clarice sighed as she began picking up dirty clothes from the small office chair sitting in front of her daughter's desk, tossing the articles into the hamper. "I would go to every performance if I could, but, unfortunately, crime stops for no one."

Bella rolled her eyes. "They could at least hold off for a couple hours so I can have a night with my mother's full attention." She froze. She didn't need to look up to know the statement was a painful jab into her mother's side. "I know you're doing your best, Mom. I don't blame you."

Clarice gently took Bella's arm into her hand, pulling them both down to sit on her bed. "Look, I know I'm not there for you as much as we both want. I wish that you had a father around, so at least someone could be there to cheer you on at every game or every performance. I know you don't blame me, but I do. If I had known I was going to get pregnant, I would've chosen differently so you could have a life where your father was involved."

"Why don't you ever talk about him?" Bella asked as Clarice played with her brown hair, the light showing tints of red she inherited. "I don't even know his name or what he looks like."

Clarice smiled sadly. "I'm afraid of what you'd think of me if I told you. For national surveillance reasons, I think it's best you don't know. I want you to have a chance at a normal life."

"Does he know about me?" Bella's question made the hairs on the back of Clarice's neck stand on end.

"I'm sure he's seen you, but he probably doesn't know you're his daughter. He might not even know I have a daughter. I haven't talked to him since the night we conceived you." Clarice admitted, the thought bringing a pang of anxiety. "I've kept an eye on him though. He pops up every now and then, alive and well."

Bella frowned. "He's not a spy or anything, is he?"

Clarice let out a chuckle and hugged her daughter against her chest. "I can honestly say no to that question." She kissed the top of Bella's head before rubbing her back. "C'mon, we're already late." She stood up to leave the room but stopped in her tracks at her daughter's final question.

"Did you love him?"

Clarice rested her hand on the white doorframe, stroking the wood briefly. "Most people wouldn't understand it, but yes. I do love your father. We have a level of understanding with each other that I haven't found with anyone else."

* * *

The brisque Virginia morning left his lungs filled with the fresh autumn air. Each gust of wind would cause tree branches to sway as they shed layers of leaves: red, orange, and yellow. They seemed to pad the park jogging path and crunched under his feet as he walked along the water. With the sun just coming up over the city skyline, it was early enough for a quiet jog without the overflow of foot traffic.

It was also early enough to catch his longest obsession before she left for work. He kept his distance, slowly making his way back to the northern park entrance where rows of townhouses sat hiding their emerging inhabitants. Each one probably smelled of coffee as the morning news lulled them into gathering themselves for work or school. Most people were predicable and slaves to society's schedule.

_Not her._

He sat on a park bench far enough from the entrance to be disguised in the greenery. Like clockwork, the fifth townhouse down suddenly opened wide and a flash of auburn hair whipped as its owner turned to look back into the house.

Forget something, Clarice?

She smiled inward. There was someone else in the house. He leaned forward on the bench, shoving down the impulse to get up and move closer. Despite his curiosity, he couldn't act like just anyone else. He bore a hole through her as she stepped back and allowed room for another person to emerge and descend the stairs. The person was not a forty-something man in trousers or a blazer. He was not well groomed or holding a briefcase like most professionals. The he was not even a he.

The young thing walked out in jeans and a tight sweater that wasn't long enough to cover her entire torso. To the ordinary eye, her long hair was brown, but he saw the tint of red when the sun shined on it. A messenger bag was slung across her body, trinkets and keychains hanging from the silver zippers. She jaunted down the front steps with both hands holding a cell phone that seemed to capture her attention. It was slipped into her back pocket though when she reached a car parked along the sidewalk. She tugged on the door handle and turned back to Clarice when she found it to be locked.

* * *

"Mom?" Bella gazed up at her mother, seeing her frozen at the top of the stairs. Her hand was on the doorknob, ready to rush back inside, as she surveyed the street. "What's wrong? You're acting weird."

"Something feels weird." Clarice stated. "Something feels different, and not good different."

Bella rolled her eyes. "You don't think anything that's different is good." She glanced up and down the street herself. Despite her sarcasm, she knew her mother's instincts were rarely off even if the people she worked for didn't always see it that way. "Can we put the feeling on hold until we get back tonight?"

Clarice sighed, knowing that standing on her front doorstep wasn't productive. "I guess we don't have much choice." Quickly locking the door, she glanced around again and made her way to the car. "What time is rehearsal done tonight?"

"Five. I can get a ride home if you can't make it by then." Bella stated as she and Clarice both climbed into the car.

She shook her head, starting the car with her attention still focused on their surroundings. "If I'm still working, get a ride to my office. I don't want you here alone today." Clarice said before pushing her feelings aside for the moment and turning to her daughter. "Only because I love you."

Bella scoffed, failing to hide the embarrassed smile. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Can we just get going?"

Clarice laughed before pulling out onto the street and taking a right at the park, seeing only empty park benches and jogging paths.

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	2. Chapter 2

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Clarice pulled up in front of the school, happy to see students still standing in groups outside. They weren't late. Leaning over, she kissed Bella's cheek. "Have fun. Learn something, because I'm sick of hearing you say you learned nothing." She chuckled when Bella rolled her eyes. "I'll text and let you know if I'm done at work. Can one of your friends give you a lift to my office?"

"Shouldn't be a problem." Bella breathed before slinging her bag back around her body. She turned back to her mother. "Do you really think something is going on back home? I mean, should I be worried?"

"No, honey, I'm just being cautious." Clarice shook her head. Although the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach told her something was off, she wasn't going to worry her daughter with it until she knew what was going on herself. She glanced up and sighed when she saw Chet Krendler, Paul's son. After his run in with Hannibal, Paul was miraculously saved by doctors even with the missing pieces of brain.

Not that he had much to begin with.

Despite his wandering dick, it was his wife who had landed him in fatherhood shortly before Clarice gave birth to Bella. Rumors flew around the office, but they were quickly squashed when Paul made numerous suggestions that his son and her daughter might be able to do what he wanted to do to her for many years. Over the years, the suggestions had only gotten worse as Chet grew up into the jock that his father was.

"Has he been giving you any problems?" She asked, jutting her chin out towards the teenager.

Bella rolled her eyes again. "Every day of my life. He just never shuts up. He's been coming to our dance rehearsals too with a few of the football players." She got out of the car and leaned down through the open window. "Can you meet me at the front door at your office so I don't have to deal with Paul?"

Clarice smirked. "Happily. Love you."

"Love you too." Bella smiled before turning and walking towards the school. She chuckled when her always bubbly best friend bounded to her looking like she had just emerged from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. "Hello, Winnie. I see your goal is to outshine the sun today, like every other day."

Winnie bumped her hip with Bella's. "Says you who can rock a sweater like the President's mistress."

Bella smirked. "The only kind I would be." She huffed out a breath when a masculine arm draped over her shoulder, the cuff of the letterman jacket a dead giveaway. "Can I help you, Krendler?"

"In lots of ways, but none of them could be done with all these eyes around." Chet breathed into her ear. He tugged her a bit closer. "How about you, me, and dinner Friday night? I'll even let you keep your whole feminism stance and let you pay for dinner."

"How considerate of you." Bella oozed sarcasm before shoving her elbow into his ribcage. He coughed as he bent over to catch his breath. "I'll pass though."

Winnie laughed as she linked arms with Bella, both of them jogging up the stairs and entering the school. "Have I told you I love you today." She sighed as she glanced back at the closed doors. "I can't believe I slept with him for three months."

"I've decided to believe you were drunk or high for those entire three months." Bella stated before reaching her locker. "I can't wait to get to college and find guys that are actually mature. They care more about their futures than when their next fuck will be."

"Already looking for college seniors then, huh?" Winnie teased her, poking her side. "Have you told your mom yet that you applied to Columbia College. . .in New York?" She felt her own nerves kick in when Bella bit her lip. "Bella, it'll kill her."

Bella groaned and dove her head into her locker. "I know." Her voice echoed off the metal sides. "I haven't even told her about applying for the psychology department. I've only mentioned dance. When I first talked to her about even the possibility of psychology, she got a little antsy."

Winnie frowned. "Isn't that her major?"

"Yeah, I'm guessing it has something to do with my father. She only acts weird when I bring him up." Bella sighed before grabbing her books. She quickly shook her head and plastered a smile onto her face. "I'll tell her. . .if I get accepted. I just need to get to the mail before her."

"Everyday?" Winnie's eyebrows nearly shot up to her hairline.

Bella slumped her shoulders. "Pray for me?"

* * *

Clarice had barely walked into her office when Ardelia came rushing in after her. "Thank God, you're okay." She breathed out, covering her heaving chest with her hand as if she had just completed a marathon.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Clarice asked as she sat down behind her desk.

"You haven't heard." Ardelia began, sitting down in the chair across from her friend. "A body was found in the park over by your place. They think it might be another victim of the Beer Can Killer."

Clarice felt the goosebumps break out on her skin. "They found a can at the scene?"

Ardelia nodded. "It was still sticking out of the victim's stomach. It was a slow death."

"That's the seventh vic. I knew something was off this morning. I even told Bella." Clarice kicked herself. "It didn't feel like there was another victim though. It felt like we were being watched. Like someone was there. Like. . ."

Ardelia cocked her head to the side. "Hannibal?" She sighed when Clarice quickly shut her office door to give the two privacy. "Clarice, he only came the last time because you were under extreme duress. What would he come back for right now? It's not like you've done him any favors in the past."

Clarice bit her lip. If only she knew the half of it. There was so much she didn't know. So much that nobody knew outside of herself. "You don't get it. There's a bond there. I haven't seen him, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been there. The letters, the gifts. I don't know what to call it."

"Creepy." Ardelia answered before standing up. "I swear. When it comes to him, you've got a blind spot." She pointed over to the phone on Clarice's desk, blinking with messages that had gathered overnight. "They'll call when the body comes in. Someone suggested putting you on the case when the call came in."

Pulling her hair back into a ponytail, Clarice sighed. "Bella is going to kill me."

* * *

Hannibal wandered the halls, making note of the lack of security. He'd been in the school for ten minutes and not a single person had come to question him. Leaving your little bird out on a wire, Clarice? Only half past four and the building felt like it had been abandoned long ago. That was until he heard the telltale notes of a number from Sleeping Beauty. A classic ballet for a high school to perform. With the notes circling the halls, he let his ears guide him into the dark auditorium and sat in the back, watching as the numerous teenagers moved about the stage like clumsy flamingos.

All but one.

The little bird moved with grace. Back straight, toes pointed, arms braced. She moved quicker than all of them put together, but it was as if he were viewing her in slow motion. A beautiful and talented young thing. A carnation of what Ms. Starling would've been if her childhood hadn't been captured by the screaming lambs. The music seemed to move her in a way that no coach could teach. She was completely immersed, so lost in the melody that the loud bang from the side door slamming shut faltered her dance.

The man, who could be assumed to be the director, stood from behind the piano before shouting. "Krendler, get out of my practice! You have no business being here."

Krendler?

"No business." The young man feigned injury. "My girl is your leading lady."

"Only in your dreams, Chet." The little bird smarted. Hannibal smirked. She was a fighter.

The young Krendler made the motion of shooting an arrow. Cupid's presumably. "You're killing me, Starling."

"Krendler! Out!" The director all but screamed. The boy smirked and blew a kiss before turning and leaving through the door he had just entered from. "Alright," the coach's voice rang out, "on that lovely note, let's call it a night. Starling, a word."

Hannibal watched as the adolescents dispersed to the front row seats or backstage. Taking his cue, he slipped out through the back to avoid being spotted.

* * *

Bella jogged over to the piano where her coach leaned against the piano. "What's up?"

"What's going on with Krendler? He can't keep bombarding our practices like this." Coach Pellagrim stated with a shake of his head. "Is there something between you two or is it just harassment."

"He's just a perv." Bella sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "He seems to think I'm playing hard to get."

Pellagrim glanced back towards the door. "If you want, I can help you report him to the principal. I'm going to talk to him anyway about his behavior, but the harassment might stop if you make a complaint about it."

Bella rolled her eyes. "He's been making comments since we were kids. My mother has made complaints with every principal and teacher I've had. He doesn't care. It only seems to motivate him."

Pellagrim shook his head with disgust before resting his hand on her shoulder. "Just know that if you need anything, I'm here."

"Thanks." Bella breathed before shrugging his hand off of her shoulder. "I'll see you at practice tomorrow."

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	3. Chapter 3

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"Thanks for the ride, Winnie. I owe you one." Bella smiled as they pulled up in front of Clarice's office building.

"You owe me tons." Winnie chuckled before Bella climbed out of the car. "I'll pull in some of those favors tonight when I go to work on our anatomy assignment."

Bella laughed with a nod. "Sounds good. Love you." She heard Winnie return the sentiment before closing the door and turning to see Clarice walking out with her badge to get back into the building. "Hi Mommy."

Clarice hugged her daughter, kissing the side of her head. "Oh boy. You just called me 'Mommy'. Bad day?" She pulled back and examined Bella's face, seeing the tired eyes and drained skin. "Really bad day?"

"It was great." Bella lied. "I was only verbally harassed by Krendler in front of the whole dance team at practice." She sighed before dropping her head to Clarice's shoulder. "Thank God he didn't wait outside for me this time."

Clarice huffed out a breath and wrapped her arms tighter around her daughter. "Men are pigs. So are boys. I wish I could tell you it gets better, but I'm still waiting for a nice guy." She glanced back towards the building, seeing Paul standing by the front desk. He gave her a salute, a smug look overcoming his face. "Do you want me to talk to your principal? I don't like seeing you come home like this."

"Pellagrim already offered to take me to the principal." Bella scoffed. "He's going to talk to him about Chet interrupting practices. Talks from authority figures only seem to make the harassment worse. It's senior year. I've made it this far."

"If it gets too bad, you tell me. If you want to switch schools, we can switch schools. I'll put you in my own witness protection program." Clarice smiled with her little joke. She kissed Bella's head again before letting one arm drop as they both walked back to the front doors. "The house is okay. I drove by around lunch, and everything was fine."

Bella leaned into her mother's side. "I heard about the body found in the park, Mom. It was all over school today."

It was Clarice's turn to roll her eyes. "I miss the days where I could prevent you from finding out things spread on the internet." She waved her badge before the door buzzed open. Letting Bella go in before her, she made a point to walk between her and where Paul was standing.

"Bella!" Paul's voice boomed. "I hear you're going out with my son this Friday night. Congrats. He'll be good for you."

"I said no." Bella stated, not bothering to turn to the dick who insulted both her mother and herself.

Paul frowned, glancing at Clarice who had stopped to glare at him. "Why? He's star on the football team. He might be able to remove that stick from your ass."

Bella raised her hand, flipping him off. She still didn't turn. "You're a prick, Paul. So is your son. That's why I said no." She turned down another hallway towards her mother's office, not bothered to even glance back at the shock on his face.

"Starling," Paul gritted through clenched teeth, "you need to discipline your daughter. She needs to know who she's speaking to. She can't just insult me and walk away. I get you're single parent and you aren't the most equipped one, but I know you can do much better."

"I happen to agree with her." Clarice smirked before going to follow her daughter. "And, go home. You don't work here anymore."

* * *

Bella held her text book open in her lap, glancing up at her mother every few seconds to verify she was still distracted by her computer. Although her anatomy book was spread out on her thighs, she wasn't reading about one of the body's systems or cell functions. It was always a task - sneaking a file from her mother's desk to read while she worked on a current case. The past few times, she had been slowly making her way through Lecter's file. . .again.

She had probably read it as many times as her mother had. Might even have the memory to brief someone on him with the exact wording inside the file. The interest her mother seemed to have in him had been passed onto her. An infamous serial killer had fascinated her mainly for his fascination with her mother. Clarice rarely talked about Lecter, trying to keep her as far from her job as possible. Luckily, the internet helped fill in the gaps her mother refused to discuss.

But, her attempt at hiding the file failed when Clarice opened up her bottom drawer and discovered the worn file missing. "Bella?"

Bella sighed and closed the case before tossing it onto her mother's desk, watching as she put it back in its proper place. "The file won't kill me."

"It's rude to take things. That's kinda his MO." Clarice raised her eyebrows before turning off her computer monitor. "C'mon, troublemaker. I'm starving. What are you in the mood for? I think that food truck you like is a couple blocks over."

"Finally!" She sighed, her hunger almost taking on a voice of its own.

* * *

The ascend up the stairs was carefully calculated to avoid waking the tenants. With quick movements, he landed in the upstairs hallway where three doors stood. One was open: the bathroom. The other two were a crack away from being latched. A poster of the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber piece, _Phantom of the Opera_, was taped up on one of the doors. Considering his day, he determined it was the little bird's room.

He pushed the door open gently, finding the teenager fast asleep with large headphones over her ears. A book rested over her stomach, obviously being her focus before exhaustion claimed her for the night. The floor had a few articles of clothing tossed on it, but the room was fairly put together otherwise. Her taste for the theater flared with the smallest of details, even down to the ballerina figure sticker at the bottom corner of her mirrored-door closet.

Hannibal pulled the headphones away from her ears before pausing the music on her phone. As quietly as he could manage, he plugged the device into the charger and lifted the text book off of her. He gazed at the cover - psychology and sociology. Clever girl. He set the book down beside her messenger bag on the floor before looking around for a blanket to cover her with. Not daring to open the closet, he moved to the wooden chest in the corner, happy to find a number of blankets inside.

He took a moment to admire them. One plush fleece. The other two tie blankets, homemade most likely. He briefly imagined his lamb and the little bird sitting down together to put the material together. It was domestic, not something he ever pictured Clarice doing. The thought made him smile though as he grabbed the blue and rainbow tie blanket. With much care, he let the folds come undone and draped the material over the brunette, bringing it up to her shoulders. She sighed contently as she turned onto her side and snuggled deeper into the bed. The little bird was as mesmerizing as her mother.

Speaking of her mother.

He adjusted the blanket around the girl's feet before tiptoeing out, leaving the door open just a sliver. Moving past the bathroom, he pushed open the second door and found his lamb, fast asleep, under the thick white quilt of her bedspread. Her auburn locks splayed out behind her on her pillow, her back to him. His feet carried him forward until he could see her face. Even with the nearly two decade stretch since he last saw her this close, his breath still caught in his throat. The feeling both scared and excited him. She always had the effect on him though.

It happened in a blur, and he couldn't tell how long he had been staring at her before he did it. With precision, he laid down beside her on the bed, eyes closing as he inhaled the scent he hadn't had the privilege of coming across in all the places across the globe. It was uniquely hers. Despite his flare for the finer things, he welcomed the fragrance to overtake his senses.

Then, movement. Touches. Skin grazing his. He kept his body relaxed although his instincts told him to go rigid.

Clarice curled herself against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She was still asleep. "Hannibal?" She mumbled before her breathing evened out once again.

He exhaled sharply. Even in her sleep, she was reaching for him. Just like he was always reaching, searching for her. He relished the feel of her body against his. He'd spent many nights recollecting their one night together. After fleeing from Krendler's lake house, he had returned to her place, this place, to wait for her return home. He nursed his hand, now boring a scar along the wrist and some lines of torn flesh from the cuff being pulled roughly over it. When she arrived, she helped him dress the wound before the tension was too much for either of them to take.

Her voice panting his name haunted him even during the day. The feel of her body against his. The power he used to drive between her legs, and the power he saw flow through her when she realized that he was undoubtedly hers. The first drop of blood she ever consumed was from his shoulder when she bit him. When that knowledge hit him then, it pushed him until they were both spent and exhausted.

Afterwards, he lay with her like this. Waiting until she fell asleep so he could disappear into the night. Placing a delicate kiss to his lamb's forehead and brushing her hair behind her ear, he repeated history and fled under the guise of darkness.

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	4. Chapter 4

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Clarice stretched out in the comfort of her bed, slowly opening her eyes to the sunlight trying to peak through her pulled shades. She turned over on her stomach and closed her eyes to catch some more sleep before her alarm went off when she inhaled the musk of Italian cologne. Her eyes flew open to see the pillow beside her with a indent. Even the mattress was still warm on the other side of the bed. "Shit, Bella."

She sprung to her feet and nearly collided with the wall before opening up the door to her daughter's room. Like the morning before, the door slammed into the wall without the door jam to stop it, and, like the morning before, her daughter was in her bed. "Thank God."

Bella groaned and pulled her pillow over her head. "What the hell? There's no way it's time to get up."

"It's not. Just move over." Clarice breathed before climbing into the smaller bed with her daughter and wrapping her arms around her. "Go back to sleep." Bella didn't have to be told twice. But, Clarice was far from going back to sleep. She looked into the four mirrored doors of the closet that faced her. The reflection didn't help to soothe her. For the blanket on her daughter was only used when Bella brought it downstairs or when she was sick and Clarice pulled it out to keep her warm.

There was no doubt in her mind now. Hannibal was here.

* * *

Clarice stood leaning over the kitchen counter, looking like she was in agony. The knowledge that Dr. Lecter had been here the night before was something she needed to tell someone, but she couldn't. There were too many reasons why that was not acceptable. One of them so big that she had kept it to herself for so long. She wasn't even sure if she could utter the words. Despite her nervousness towards the prospect of the good ole doctor being back, she could feel his hands on her. It brought a calming warmness to her that was too deep to explore at the moment.

Bella ate oblivious to the fact that this could completely change her entire world - knowing a serial killer and cannibal.

Although true, the titles didn't do him justice in the least. He was brilliant and killed to rid the world of rude and evil people who weren't worth the air everyone else breathed. There was no time to waste for him. Too much of it was taken from him when he was in the asylum, in that basement where she met him. And most people would claim he was evil himself. . .she couldn't give an argument with her career position. Too many questions were raised around her and Dr. Lecter anyway. She didn't need to call back the suspicions again.

"Mom!" Bella shouted, bringing Clarice out of her fog. She snapped upright, her attention diverting to her daughter. "I've been talking to you for five minutes. Have you been listening at all?"

"Sorry, sweetie. I was thinking about a case." Clarice sighed. It wasn't a complete lie.

Bella wasn't buying it though. "What's going on? You've been acting weird all morning. You said things were fine here."

Clarice shook her head. "Things are fine. I just have a lot on my mind with the new murder victim and all from yesterday." That was a complete lie, but Bella didn't seem to have energy to call her on it. She was never so invested in a case that it caused her to act differently. She'd spend more time at work, but she didn't allow her work to come home. "I'll pick you up from school today after practice. I have a feeling we might have company tonight."

Bella frowned as she glanced between her breakfast on the counter and her mother. "Company? You haven't had time to get a boyfriend."

"An old friend might be coming by. I heard he's in town." Clarice stated before putting breakfast items away into the cupboards the fridge. "Ardelia said that you could hang out with her for the night. I can pick you up tomorrow morning-"

"I want to meet the guy. If you're hiding who he is, I haven't met him before. Every guy that you talk to needs to pass my inspection." Bella stated before standing up and slinging her messenger bag across her chest. She froze before looking back at Clarice. "It isn't a booty call, is it?"

Clarice eyed her daughter. "How do you know- never mind. I don't want to know how you know that." She sighed. "If it were a. . .booty call, would you really want to know?"

Bella smirked. "It's not a booty call. C'mon, if you loved me, you would let me come home after school."

Clarice rolled her eyes but was reminded of another time she heard similar words spoken to her. "Someone once asked if I would tell them to stop doing bad things if I loved them. I adore you, Bella, but you are not coming home after practice."

Bella frowned. "What did you say to the other person?"

"I told them not in a million years. I never wanted to change who they were as a person." She saw the confusion on Bella's face and quickly continued. "You're still going to Ardelia's." Clarice stated as if it were fact. "I will drag you there myself. Besides, Ardelia is looking forward to spending some time with you. She's hardly seen you since school started back up."

"She said she'd come to my ballet concert next Friday. She wants to take us out to dinner after the show at some fancy French place downtown." Bella reminded Clarice. She huffed out a breath, her shoulders dropping. "I'll go pack a bag, but I'm not happy about it."

Clarice chuckled watching her daughter mope upstairs. "I wouldn't expect anything else from you."

* * *

The drive back from the school felt like hours. Her palms were sweaty and her stomach twisted in knots with anticipation. But, there was no fear. No compulsion to take out her gun. No instinct to run away or call the authorities. She walked back into her townhouse and felt the difference in the air. Felt his presence near her. Her heart drummed against her rib cage and pounded in her ears.

She removed her gun from her hip and placed it on the foyer table alongside her FBI ID, badge and phone. It was a message. She wasn't taking him in. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked into the living room and sat down in the armchair, crossing one leg over the other and facing the front door. It was only a moment or two when she heard the footsteps on the staircase. A large hand slid down the railing as the steady rhythm continued down until the bottom landing by the front door.

His silhouette blocked the sunlight pouring in through the windows of the front door. With the shadows, she couldn't see his face, but it didn't take long for him to move into the living room with her and sit down on the coffee table. His knees bumped against hers, his eyes boring into hers. She yearned to reach out, but she didn't dare show him how much she had missed him without knowing what he was feeling.

"You're senses are as sharp as ever, Clarice." Hannibal spoke as if he were far away. "What was it?"

"Your cologne in my bed." Clarice breathed. She played with her fingers, but she didn't dare remove her gaze from his. "I see you met Bella."

Hannibal gave a small smile. "Is that the little bird's name? Yes, I have seen her. I haven't had the pleasure of being introduced yet. Moves with grace though. I caught a brief sample of her ballet routine." He spared a glance down to her hands. No wedding ring. Not even a tan line. "May I assume you are not with the father?"

Clarice nodded her head once. "I want to be. I don't think he knows she's his daughter. I never had the chance to tell him. I was pregnant before he left." She felt a small amount of relief when his finger gently stroked her knee over the fabric of her slacks. "Not to sound rude or unhappy with your arrival, but why are you back?"

"I heard about the Beer Can Killer case. Stellar name by the way." His voice dripped sarcasm. "I wanted to lend my services if you needed them. Not that you'd need them, but if you wanted them."

"Thank you." Clarice smiled, smirking at his slight stumble of wording. "Is that all you came for? To help me with my case? I know you've come back to the states before. Why break and enter into my home this time."

Hannibal's cheeks flushed the slightest, but his composure remained purely platonic. "The little bird made me curious as what life you have led since my last visit. I made my intentions clear the last time we spoke though. They have not changed. Have yours changed? Do you wish you had left behind the politics of the FBI and joined me? Even though that means your daughter would not exist."

Clarice bit her lip. "I wish I had run away with you, yes, but Bella would still exist even if I had left with you." She reached out and took his hand into hers, her thumb grazing the rough skin where his second middle finger was missing. "I would've told you if you had shown up earlier."

"She's mine." Hannibal breathed, not a question or shred of disbelief in his voice. He accepted it like no one else would. Like she knew he would. She let her fingers push on further, gently applying pressure to his wrist and upper arm. He turned his palms to up her and wrapped them around her elbows, pulling her closer to him. His lips barely skimmed her forehead before his forehead pressed against hers. "You hid her well. I didn't realize she was here until yesterday."

Clarice managed a smile, resting her hands on his sides. It felt so good to be this close to him again, and not a single part of her wanted to remove herself and turn him over. "I always felt when you were near. She usually stayed with Ardelia or at one of her friend's while I stayed around my office." She caressed his cheek, feeling his warmth soak into her hand. "When I saw the blanket on her last night, I knew you had been in there. It was time for you to know. She's ready to know."

"You hid her to give her normalcy, a choice in her life." Hannibal pressed his lips to hers, elated when she didn't hesitate to reciprocate the affection. He pulled back after a moment, slightly lost for breath. "I'd like to discuss this further, and I hope this isn't too forward-"

"Yes, Hannibal. We can go upstairs." Clarice breathed before kissing him again.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Hannibal groaned before dropping his head to Clarice's chest, attempting to regulate his breathing the same way she was. Her legs still clung around his waist and her hands cupped the back of his head and stroked his shoulder. He could hear her heart beating violently, the thump of it hitting his forehead. She was warm and loving, and, although it wasn't their first time together, he knew he couldn't go another eighteen years with playing out fantasies in his dreams.

He gently rolled onto his back when she lowered her legs. The absence of her body didn't last long when she draped herself over his side. He wrapped his arm around her, his thumb tickling her spine. Her head rested on his shoulder and the scent of her hair wafted up his nose pleasantly. "I've missed you, Clarice."

"I've missed you too." Clarice whispered. She began drawing patterns on his skin with her finger, her nail raising goosebumps in their wake. "There's so much I wish you had been here for. So much I wanted to share with you. I should've just run away with you then." She looked up at him, a smirk on her lips. "It could've been fun to see you be a father. I've only ever seen you as the cool and collected Dr. Lecter. As you once said to me, it would fascinating to know you in private life."

Hannibal smiled and shrugged. "You can still join me. My offer stands as strong as I do."

Clarice sighed. "I can't do that to Bella. It's her senior year. Her whole future is ahead of her, and I don't want to be far from her." She rested her chin on his chest, gazing at him. "It's too dangerous for you here."

"Well, we can let her finish out her senior year here. A few more months won't kill me entirely." Hannibal pondered Clarice's stance. He didn't really care to think about being away from Bella either. He didn't know her at all, and she was his only heir. She was his legacy. "I don't know what she wants to study or what she plans for a future, but Europe could be a great place for her. I have a few places there and a residence in Buenos Aires where I spend summers. She could study in France, England, Italy. Any place her heart desires."

Clarice bit her lip. "Our daughter has a mind of her own. Telling her all of this. . .I don't know how she'll take it." She stood up from the bed and began putting her work clothes back on. "She doesn't even know you're her father. My God! She's going to freak out when I tell her. I raised her so that she would be innocent. So that she wouldn't have to face the pains and traumas we've been through. The truth will destroy that."

Hannibal stood from the bed and quickly took her into his arms. She didn't fight him as she buried herself against his chest. He pressed his lips into her hair. "Clarice, you and I both know that innocence will be lost one way or another. I will not attempt to sway your choice as a parent over Bella, because I haven't exactly earned the title of being her father, but we won't know what she really wants unless we tell her everything."

"I know." Clarice murmured into his chest. "I just don't want to lose her."

Hannibal nodded his head. "I understand. She'll need time to process. Finishing out her senior year here should be plenty of time. Whatever she wants." He rubbed her back, a little frustration growing now that she was fully clothed again. "As nice as you look in these, Clarice, I'd really rather them not be on you right now."

Clarice smiled before pulling away. "I need to make an appearance at the office and then pick up Bella from ballet practice."

"Shall I prepare dinner for the three of us then?" Hannibal asked, his hands rubbing together as if formulating a grand plan of sorts.

"She's staying with Ardelia for the night. As much as I want you two to meet, I think I need to tell her the truth before you are introduced." Clarice explained, looking in the mirror and fixing her hair as best she could without a brush. "I was planning on telling her tomorrow after I pick her up."

Hannibal frowned. "What am I supposed to do?"

Clarice smirked and pecked his lips. "Rest up. We still have lots of catching up to do." She didn't see it, but she knew the smile that graced his features.

* * *

Bella walked over to her coach with her phone in hand, plastering a worried expression on her face. "Coach Pellagrim, I just got a message from my mom. She says she's coming here to pick me up. There's been some kind of emergency. Is it alright if I head out a little early?"

Pellagrim stood from the piano and rested his hand on her shoulder with a smile. Bella resisted the urge to shake it off of her. "Of course. I need to work with. . .everyone else anyway. Have a good weekend and do those exercises I've been telling you about."

"Will do." Bella hoped it didn't sound as sarcastic as it felt. She quickly grabbed her bag and and left the school through the back doors, hailing a taxi when she was a couple blocks away.

* * *

Clarice pulled up in front of the school and smiled when she saw Winnie walking along the sidewalk. She waved at her before her daughter's best friend ran over to the rolled down passenger window. "Hi Winnie. I'm just here to pick up Bella."

"Bella left practice twenty minutes ago. She told Pellagrim that you were picking her up then because of an emergency." Winnie stated, sounding more scared by the second. "Do you think someone took her? Oh my God! Is she okay?"

Clarice knew that Bella wouldn't have listened to a text from an unknown number, not even her work number. They had a special language for situations like this that nobody knew. "She's fine. I think she's just trying to beat me home."

Winnie looked like she had just been told world peace had been accomplished. "Oh, thank God. I didn't know she would go to these lengths."

Clarice furrowed her brows. "What are you talking about?"

"Um," Winnie blushed furiously, "she has a boyfriend?" She saw Clarice's brow arch. She was a terrible liar, and Clarice was seeing through her. "Bella would kill me if I told you. That is if you don't kill her."

Clarice rolled her eyes. "Winnie, just tell me what's going on."

Winnie sighed. "Bella applied to a college up in New York to study dance. . .and psychology."

* * *

Bella walked through the front door of the townhouse and let her messenger bag slip to the floor in the corner. Music was playing softly from the living room and someone was moving pans around in the kitchen. It did smell good, better than the times her mother tried to make something extravagant for them to eat. She froze though when she heard the voice of the stranger in her home. She had listened to enough tapes to know that voice.

"Back so soon, Clarice. I was hoping to have dinner ready when you arrived." Hannibal rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks when he saw Bella standing by the front door looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Holy shit." Bella breathed. "You're Dr. Hannibal Lecter."

Hannibal straightened, not wanting to frighten the teenager. "I am. You must be Bella. Clarice said that you wouldn't be joining us tonight."

Bella gulped, glancing around her home. "She wouldn't tell me who was coming over. I figured I at least deserved to know that much since she was kicking me out for the night." She glanced around him when another delicious aroma hit her nose. "What are you making?"

"Rack of lamb. Fortunately, I can alter the proportions to make enough for three." Hannibal smiled before stepping aside. "Care to join me?"

Despite her gut telling her to flee, Bella walked passed him to the kitchen to see four pans going with the lamb and its sides. "It smells amazing." She watched as he returned to his place behind the oven, working the pans before turning to the cutting board. "My mom knows you're here, right?"

Hannibal glanced up at her before returning his attention to the veggies he was slicing. "Yes. We spoke this morning." He stabbed a fork into one of the pans and held it out to her, a sliced yellow veggie at the end of it. "Here. Try this." Bella took the fork from him and did as he said. She handed the fork back to him when he held out his hand. "What does that need?"

"Salt." Bella stated.

"Good girl." Hannibal grinned before adding more salt to the pan. He turned back to her, allowing all his attention to her. The pieces were starting to come together. Although she looked and spoke like Clarice, she had his piercing eyes and clear concise voice. Her taste in style coming from her mother while her taste for the finer things came from him. It was a good mix to have for a young girl. Humble on the outside, but sophisticated through and through. "Do you cook?"

Bella shook her head. "Not really. My mom doesn't do a lot of cooking."

Hannibal patted the counter next to him. "Why don't you join me then? I can teach you." He saw the hesitance in her eyes, but she walked around the small island to stand by him. He passed the long, sharp knife over to her and knew that this was a test for both of them. But, she wasn't afraid to be near him in the slightest. "Alright, hold what you're chopping into with your fingertips pressing down into it. Your nails should graze it. This helps to prevent any injury from the knife. Then, let the knife do the work." He showed her with his own hands briefly before letting her go ahead. She looked as composed as he was. "That's it. You're doing magnificently."

Bella felt a sense of pride fill her. She couldn't explain it. It baffled her to think that she could take pride in praise from a serial killer cannibal. It wasn't long before she was finished slicing the yellow looking cucumber on the chopping board, leaving her with the sharp knife in her hand. One swipe and she could take the life that took away so many others. Many people would consider her a hero. But, something stopped her.

The relief that seemed to take over Hannibal's stiff physical stance when she set the knife down only confused her more.

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	6. Chapter 6

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"Bella!" Clarice called into the house as she nearly bolted inside. She dropped her purse onto the table and walked into the living room to see Bella standing with a large knife in one hand while the other handled a rested rack of lamb. Hannibal stood behind her and used his hands to guide hers.

They both looked up when Clarice entered the room. A moment of silence passed between the three. The current situation was one that could've been happening for nearly eighteen years, and it looked as if it were the norm. But, Clarice could see the anxiety in her daughter's eyes and Hannibal's own nervousness around his daughter. The two sets of matching eyes continued to stare at her as she slowly approached the counter. "Bella, I thought I told you I was going to pick you up. Ardelia is expecting you tonight."

Bella looked back down when Hannibal moved her hands, thankful for the distraction he prompted her with. She began cutting into the lamb with his help. "You didn't tell me who was coming over. So, I figured I would swing by to see. I had no idea you would have the famous Dr. Lecter in our house."

"We were just preparing dinner." Hannibal explained before walking around the island and pulling out a barstool for Clarice to sit on. He quickly moved back to Bella to observe her knife work with the meat. "Bella was quick to help me. She's been doing well, a real natural."

Clarice failed to hide her smirk at Hannibal's comment. "She didn't get that from me." She ignored the glare Bella sent her way. "Honey, if you really wanted to know who was here, you could've just asked to stay home."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I asked who came. You were evasive. You made plans for me without asking. Your mind was made up. Besides, this was more fun." She put down the knife when the two lambs were sliced. "What else is there?"

Hannibal grinned as he set down three plates. "Eager. Good girl." He grabbed a pan from the stove and began dishing out the yellow veggies onto each plate. "Place three of those lamb slices over each plate. Then, we'll put on the sauce." Bella quickly followed behind him with the lamb, placing the medallions over his work. He quickly grabbed the other pan with the sauce. "Now, we want the sauce on the meat, but not on the outer coating. Just like this." He demonstrated for her before handing her the pan and spoon. "Try it."

Clarice watched Bella carefully finish off the plates. "If I knew you could cook like this, I wouldn't have ordered so much take out over the years."

"We've never had lamb in the fridge before." Bella stated when she finished the last plate. When Hannibal rested a hand on her back, she was surprised with herself when she didn't flinch or tense. "Wow."

Hannibal chuckled before taking the pan and spoon away from her to place back on the stove. "I couldn't have done better myself."

Clarice bit her lip. "Bella, why don't you go wash up and change for dinner? I'll let Ardelia know you will not be coming tonight." She cocked an eyebrow at her daughter as she hurried out of the room, her footsteps quick on the staircase.

Her attention quickly drifted back to Hannibal who was moving about her kitchen as if he had designed it himself. Outside of shared sheets, it was the most relaxed she had ever seen him. "You're enjoying this."

"She's an exceptionally fast learner." Hannibal replied with a swift nod. "Besides, can you really blame me for enjoying myself with my little bird? She may not know I'm her daddy yet, but she reacted to me in much the same way as you did when we first met. Cautious, but open. She could have fled up to her room or outside and called the authorities. Instead, she accepted my invitation into the kitchen and assisted me while preparing our meal." They both glanced towards the ceiling when they could hear Bella walking around her room. "You mentioned that you wanted to talk to her about my being her father alone. Would you like me to excuse myself for the night?"

"No," Clarice sighed and dropped her elbows to the counter, cradling her chin in her left palm. "I should go talk to her."

Hannibal reached over and squeezed her other hand. "I'll keep dinner warm."

* * *

Clarice knocked softly on Bella's door before pushing it open. Bella sat at the head of her bed with a pillow hugged to her chest. She had changed from her dance clothes in a t-shirt and jeans, not exactly what Hannibal would want for a dinner as decadent as lamb. But, her pained expression caused Clarice to worry more. "Bella, honey, are you okay?" She sighed when Bella glared at her again. If a look could kill. . . "I know this must seem weird."

"It is insane." Bella breathed. Her own interactions with Dr. Lecter blew her away the most. She had imagined meeting the man for years. Never would she have thought that they would cook a meal together in her own home. Never would she have believed that she would yearn to hear his praise of her or feel protected in his presence. "He's a serial killer. He should be in prison."

"I know." Clarice whispered, sitting down at the foot of her daughter's bed.

Bella took a deep breath as she gazed at Clarice. "Why isn't he in jail?"

Clarice brought her entire body up onto the bed, mirroring her daughter's position with legs crossed over one another. "The case file of Dr. Lecter in my office, you know of the incident involving Krendler, yes?" Bella nodded. "I reported what happened at the dinner table and when he trapped my hair in the fridge. I even wrote down how I cuffed his hand to mine, how he slit open his own wrist and used his blood to slip out of the cuffs. That was all true."

Bella frowned. "That still doesn't explain why he isn't in jail."

Clarice gulped, playing with her hands for the second time that day. "After I gave my statement and was sent home, I found Dr. Lecter here waiting for me." She could remember the day like it was yesterday. "I bandaged up his hand, and we talked. I don't know what changed between dinner and that moment. I don't know what happened, but something snapped between us. Something came together. I. . .we slept together."

"Ew!" Bella gagged, covering her mouth with her pillow. "He's a killer, a cannibal."

Clarice rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't kill me. I know he wouldn't. He wouldn't kill you either."

"Because, I'm your daughter. Is it a hereditary loyalty gene or something? He doesn't know me. Killing me wouldn't bother him." Bella spat back.

Clarice felt her chest ache. Her daughter was hurting, and so was she. "Bella, he's not going to kill you. Ever. You're his legacy." She bit her lip, seeing the confusion on Bella's face. "Five weeks after we slept together, I found out I was pregnant with you. He's your father."

Bella felt like a pin had dropped and blew up her entire life in that second. Those three words were like the key she had been missing for years. But as soon as everything was put together, it was too much and it all shattered into thousands of pieces that seemed impossible to put back together. The little information she had gathered about her father from Clarice over the years was making sense now. Her odd classical tastes that didn't seem to match anyone she or her mother met. She had always sworn that her eyes looked like Dr. Lecter from his file pictures, but didn't dare go to the conclusion that he could be her father.

She still didn't dare to fathom it.

"No, that's not true." Bella shook her head. "That can't be true."

"I just told him today." Clarice whispered. "I know that I haven't exactly stuck up for him, but you didn't know. And, how could I tell you? How could I tell you that your father was a top ten most wanted serial killer without exposing you to some kind of danger? Paul was on my case before Hannibal attacked him. It got worse once he healed. If he even got the impression that you could be his daughter, I don't want to think about what he'd try to do or what he'd send Chet to do. What about the FBI? The police? If they knew you were Dr. Hannibal Lecter's daughter, you'd be wired for the rest of your life. I didn't want that for you. With all your friends knowing of his crimes, it got even harder to attempt telling you."

Bella only heard the ringing in her ears. She felt sick to her stomach. "You told me you loved my father."

Clarice reached out to try and comfort Bella, but she only flinched at the contact. "I do love him, baby. He asked me to run away with him that night. And, I wanted to. I just thought that my life was meant for law enforcement at the time. If I had known you were going to come along, I would've gone. I woke up the next morning and regretted saying no to him anyway. If I could do it over again, I would've left with him."

Bella swallowed hard, the sensation nearly straining her throat. "But, you would still sleep with him."

"How could I not? That night gave me you, and I wouldn't change you or trade you for anyone in the world, including Hannibal. You are the most important person to me. And, we're the most important people to him." Clarice could see Bella closing in on herself. This conversation was only going to push her over the edge if it continued. "Let's just put a pin in this for now. There's a nice home cooked meal waiting for us downstairs. Whenever you want to talk about this again, we will talk. If you want Hannibal to be there, he'll be there. I promise you that."

Bella continued to stare at Clarice, a feeling of dizziness making her sway slightly. But, she didn't let Clarice say anything before she stood up and bolted from the room.

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	7. Chapter 7

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Despite the news that she never expected to be dropped on her, Bella devoured the meal she and Dr. Lecter had made. She kept her head down, only looking at her plate as she ate. She could feel the eyes of both her mother and. . .dare she think it, her father. It was awkward to say the least. The only noise heard between the three was the clicks and taps of silverware hitting plates. She was nearly finished with her last lamb medallion when Clarice finally broke the silence.

"Hannibal, I think you would be very happy to know that Bella has the lead in her school's ballet performance next Friday. What ballet are you performing again, Bella?" Clarice asked, hoping to ease the two back into the comfortable uneasiness that had been before the truth came out.

Hannibal saw the blush fill Bella's cheeks, but she didn't speak. He cleared his throat. "Actually, I attended her practice yesterday. I have so say, Bella, you would captivate the eyes of New York's elite with the way you performed. I was thoroughly impressed. I believe the ballet is _Sleeping Beauty_, is it not?" He waited for a response, but Bella wasn't budging. Her eyes had moved towards his plate, but she hadn't moved her head from its downward position. "I saw the spawn that verbally assaulted you yesterday. Paul Krendler's child, I presume. If you'd like, I can take care of him for you."

"Can you?" Bella mumbled, earning a gasp from her mother. She finally looked up with a shrug. "What? It's not like I haven't thought about doing it before."

"We aren't killing anybody." Clarice stated firmly. She turned her glare to Hannibal. "We aren't offering either."

Bella dropped back in her chair, letting her fork clatter onto the table. "Why? It's only natural. Daughter of a serial killer wants to take care of her problems by killing them. It makes so much sense now. The desirable need to see him suffer. The fact that I've thought a normal man was never capable of being my father. My God! I can't believe I didn't see it sooner."

Clarice saw the cracks breaking down her daughter's walls faster than she had built them up. "Bella, honey, it's okay."

"It's not okay!" Bella snapped. "None of this is okay, and the fact that I'm not more freaked out about how fucked up this is actually freaks me out more. He's a cannibal! And, he's my father! You slept with him knowing he was a cannibal! You fell in love with him knowing he was a cannibal! And, it's not even about him being a killer. It's the fact that you didn't trust me enough to tell me until he showed up in our house. If I hadn't come by today and interrupted whatever this is, would you have even told me?"

Clarice felt her composure waving. The cotton ball lodged in her throat prevented her from speaking as strongly as she would have liked. "Of course. I was going to explain everything tomorrow when I picked you up from Ardelia's. I was planning on this all happening tomorrow night."

Bella chuckled despite her anger as she stood from the table. "I've begged for years to know little pieces of information about my father. You really expect me to believe you were going to tell me everything tomorrow, just like that. I really doubt this is the first time Dr. Lecter has been here to visit you." She turned her teary-eyed glare to Hannibal. "Is it?"

"I've been to the states multiple times to check up on your mother. This is the first time we've actually spoken since we shared our feelings eighteen years ago." Hannibal explained before wiping his chin. "I understand that this hard for you to understand, but your mother only has kept this secret to protect you. That deserves some respect from you."

Bella scoffed. "Respect? I respect my mother, but it's hard to see her side when she ships me off for the night to avoid telling me the truth." She tossed her napkin onto the table and glanced at Clarice before leaving the table. "Complete bullshit."

Hannibal and Clarice both stood from the table to follow her. "Bella, come back here. We aren't done yet." Clarice felt her stomach drop seeing Bella gathering her wallet and phone out of her messenger bag. "You aren't going anywhere."

"Now, you suddenly want me here?" Bella was enraged, seeing red as she haphazardly put herself together. "I'm going to give you the night alone that you wanted in the first place. You win. If you're mad at me, fine. I can't be here right now."

Clarice stepped forward when Bella opened the door. "Bella, stop this."

"I'm going out." Bella stated, ignoring her mother's plea. "Send your lover to find me if you need me. I'm sure he can smell me."

Hannibal frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, eat me. I read your file. I know _exactly_ what you're capable of." Bella glowered at Dr. Lecter. She quickly wiped under her eyes, ridding them of tears, before launching herself out the front door.

Hannibal felt helpless. He wanted to comfort his daughter. She was obviously in pain. But, he couldn't exist outside the townhouse until darkness. He watched as Clarice fled to stop her. "Bella, be mad at me. Scream at me. I understand that this is a lot, and I could have handled it better. But, please, don't go."

Bella ran across the street, narrowly missing a car driving through, before climbing into Winnie's car. "Go."

Winnie nervously looked back at Clarice who was now standing on the curb with tears running down her face and calling out for Bella to return. "Uh, Bella, she's-"

"Go!" Bella shouted, her voice cracking as her emotions began to catch up with her. She curled up in the passenger seat and looked out the window as the floodgates opened. She hated crying in front of anyone outside of her mother, but she welcomed the sobs that wracked her body. It was something to distract her from the news flash that was spiraling into her life.

* * *

Clarice nervously paced the living room with her phone pressed to her ear. She had been dialing Bella and Winnie's numbers for an hour. She tried Ardelia to see if Bella had escaped there. She even called Winnie's parents to check on them. She didn't want to alert them knowing that Winnie was just as lost as she was. When her daughter's voicemail sounded again, she chucked her phone into the couch cushions and grunted.

Hannibal stood in the kitchen, palms pressed firmly against the countertop. He seemed to be in an entirely different world, but she knew it had the same center. He had been antagonizing himself over what he could've done differently, but she tried to reassure him. Despite his guilt, she knew that he had already pushed the limits of his boundaries with Bella. She knew what her life had been like before all of this, and she wouldn't just let Hannibal step in to play dad because they shared blood.

"They must've turned off their phones. They aren't even ringing." Clarice breathed, her voice desperate. "Hannibal, I don't know what to do. She doesn't know anybody. We don't have anybody other than Ardelia. Where would she go?"

"I'm sure she's fine. She's a bright girl." Hannibal said more for himself than for Clarice. He shook his head. "Once it gets dark, I can go out. She wasn't wrong about my ability to track her."

Clarice shook her head. "I can't wait for that." She quickly moved to the coat rack by the front door and pulled off a baseball cap. "Wear that. People aren't going to expect to see you in a car driving around D.C."

* * *

Clarice got back in the car after quickly checking around her office building. It was the only other place she could think of. "She's not here. Hannibal, what are we going to do? I can't find her!"

"Let's calm down." Hannibal said, sensing her near episode of frantic behavior. She was almost hyperventilating next to him in the driver's seat. "Alright, let's just take a breath. Don't lose yourself thinking this over. There has to be someplace else that she could go and feel safe."

Clarice closed her eyes, dropping her head back against the seat. "Hannibal, we literally have nobody. What friends she has are ones that she wouldn't trust enough to just invite herself in."

Hannibal cocked his head to the side. "Clarice, we just dropped the biggest bombshell into her life that she will probably ever receive. I don't think we can rule out anything here. She's confused. She's hurt. She wants someplace familiar."

"That's me." Clarice cried. "And, I can't be that for her right now. I can't be her familiar place, because I'm not that person anymore. In her eyes, I might as well be Ted Bundy circling around her. I've always been the person she could trust. No matter what the problem was, I was her number one. I made her my number one to take care of, but I never thought about telling her everything. I didn't even consider it. I wanted her to remain. . ."

Hannibal stroked her hair, trying to calm down her breathing. "Innocent. I know."

They both jumped when Clarice's phone chirped to life in one of the cup holders between them. She quickly grabbed it and glanced at the screen. "It's Winnie!" She shouted before taking the call. "Winnie, please, tell me you have Bella with you."

Hannibal's ears jerked when the speaker was loud enough for him to hear Winnie's guilty conscience giving up Bella over the phone. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Starling. She just texted me saying that she wanted to do something tonight. I didn't know you two were fighting. She was just so adamant about leaving and forgetting-"

"Winnie, answer my question. Is Bella with you?" Clarice interrupted the manic teen.

Winnie's voice seemed to get smaller. "Yes, she's with me. We're in the middle of the park by your house. I snuck a bottle of my dad's tequila out of the house, and she downed the whole bottle. We drove around for a while before she said we should go to the park. I'm trying to get her to go home, but she keeps mumbling something about the serial killer on the loose. The Beer Can Killer. She said that she wants to see if her daddy will protect her or join in the fun of killing her. I'm so sorry."

"Winnie, listen to me very carefully." Clarice's voice shook as more tears collected in her ears. Hannibal felt as if his own insides were crumbling. His daughter was wandering drunk around a park waiting to be killed over the knowledge that he was her father. "Stay with her, but be careful. I'm going to come and get her. Are you sober?"

"Bella had every last drop. I didn't even have the chance." Winnie sighed, more thankful or relieved.

Clarice sighed as she started jerking her car around to speed back to the park. "Good. I'll meet you there. Just keep texting me where you are and what Bella is doing. Once I get there, I want you to go home. I'll take care of Bella."

* * *

Clarice pulled up onto the curb and froze when Hannibal started climbing out of the car. "What are you doing?"

"Our daughter is drunk and pissed off at both of us. I think we both need to help her here." Hannibal stated. "I'll be careful. You just distract her friend long enough for me to grab Bella."

Clarice huffed out a breath, but knew that things would go faster and easier if she had another set of hands to get Bella back home. She quickly ran through the park with Hannibal behind her. When they saw Winnie, Hannibal darted into the bushes to the kids area behind her. Bella was stumbling around the jungle gym, obviously drunk and equally angry. "Winnie, thank you! I'm glad you called."

Winnie welcomed the hug from Bella's mother. "I wanted to call sooner, but Bella wouldn't let me have my phone back. I finally got it off of her when we got here."

"She's had a rough day." Clarice tried to explain before patting the girl's shoulder. "Go home. I will keep you updated on Bella, alright?" She watched Winnie nod and hurry off as if staying any longer would make the night worse. It probably would. Slowly, Clarice walked towards Bella, keeping a distance as Hannibal was approaching from the other side. "Bella?"

Bella stumbled on the wood chips, but caught herself on the playground equipment. Tear stains marred her face and it looked like she had been through a car wreck. "What do you want?"

"I want to take you home. You aren't well." Clarice stated, moving closer. She stepped back when Bella whipped around to face her. "You're drunk in a park in the middle of the night. Winnie said that you wanted the serial killer to come and get you."

Bella smirked and hiccuped. "Good test for a serial killer father, right? Save the daughter or kill for the thrill." She tapped her knuckles to her head before stumbling back again. "Always thinking." She nearly fell to the ground before Hannibal's arms wound around her waist and picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder. "Oh, look at that. He passed."

"Let's get you home, my little drunken bird." Hannibal sighed before he and Clarice left the park with Bella mumbling incoherent thoughts all the way.

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	8. Chapter 8

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Hannibal laid Bella down on her bed softly, seeing as the alcohol was starting to make her drowsy. But, she was still spitting out whatever she thought, and it was tearing him apart. From the look on Clarice's face, the effect was quite the same. She kneeled down beside the bed and stroked Bella's hair. "Bella, honey, why did you do this? What if something happened to you? I'd never forgive myself. I promised to always protect you."

"Dr. Lecter wouldn't let that happen." Bella mumbled, twisting on her bed. "You said we're the most important people to him. He would never let anyone hurt us."

"That's true, but what you did was very stupid. I'm a wanted person here. I can't protect you all the time." Hannibal explained, sitting down at the foot of the bed and resting a hand on her leg, rubbing circles on her jeans with his thumb. "I can understand why you wouldn't be thrilled with me as a father."

Bella giggled, her eyes closing as she got comfortable. "That's the thing. I'm happy about it." Her words grew quieter as sleep finally claimed her.

Hannibal reached out and took Clarice's arm in his hand, pulling her up from her knees to sit on his lap. He kissed her should before looking back at Bella. "I was not expecting to hear that."

"Me either." Clarice whispered. She let her head press against his, relaxing into his chest. "She's never done this. I don't know what to do."

"Neither do I. I guess we'll just have to weather through this together." Hannibal sighed before glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "It's late. We should get some rest. It could be a rather loud morning if tonight's antics repeat." He moved to stand, but found Clarice motionless. "Darling, you need sleep."

Clarice shook her head. "I don't want to leave her. What if she gets up in the middle of the night and decides to run off again? I can't risk it."

Hannibal glanced around the room and smiled seeing a roll of ribbon, most likely used in Bella's hair for different ballet performances. "Let me remedy that." He stood, practically lifted Clarice onto her feet before guiding them both out of the room with the ribbon roll in his hand. He quickly turned off the light and closed the door before biting off a long piece of ribbon. He turned to Clarice with the roll. "Would you hold onto that for me, please?"

Clarice took the roll and watched as he wrapped one end of the ribbon around Bella's doorknob and the other around the safety railing overlooking the main floor. He tested the knots and made sure the ribbon was tight before turning back to her. "There. If she decides she wants to leave, she'll find that she's trapped in her room. No worries, love. We won't be losing her tonight."

* * *

Clarice emerged from the bathroom to find Hannibal standing by her bedroom window overlooking the postage stamp of a backyard attached to her house. "Are you staying?" She asked crawling into her bed, the one they shared just that morning.

"Only if you'd like me to." Hannibal turned to her, seemingly preoccupied with his own thoughts until she caught his attention.

"Get in the bed, Hannibal." Clarice smiled, pulling the covers back for him. She waited until he slid in beside her and settled before turning out the light. "What's on your mind? You seemed to be in deep thought just now."

Hannibal smirked. His lamb always as observant as he. "I was just pondering the idea of what it would've been like if you had run away with me. I had forgone the idea of being a father long before I met you, and I guess I hadn't really thought about the notion when I asked you to run away with me. I don't know if I would've been the best father, but I'm curious as to how it would've played out."

Clarice caressed his cheek. "You are a good father. You just found out today that you have a seventeen year old, and you've already managed to get her to cook lamb and save her from danger in her drunken state. It wasn't exactly fun, but you did good today, Hannibal." She leaned back against her headboard and sighed. "I've wondered that many times over the years though. What it would have been like to run away and raise Bella? To not do it alone. I did try to think of you though when raising her, even through my pregnancy."

"Give me an example." Hannibal smirked, leaning back as well and letting their shoulders touch.

"Well," Clarice grinned, biting her bottom lip, "I only listened to classical music when I was pregnant. The music I knew you used to listen to. I took her to the theater, ballet, opera. She's knows the Kennedy Center better than the public library a few blocks over." She relaxed somewhat when she heard Hannibal chuckle in response. "Even her name. I wanted it to mean something. . .something that was special."

Hannibal smiled. "Bella means beauty. That certainly describes her."

Clarice nodded with a hum. "That's just her nickname. Her full name is Bellona Darion Starling, since it couldn't be Lecter for obvious reasons."

Hannibal turned onto his side, propping his head onto his hand as he stared up at her. "Well, Bellona carries a lot of meaning. The name itself means fighter, but I know that you would not just settle for a name meaning that any other person with a baby name book would pick out." He could tell Clarice was finding his rambling amusing. "It couldn't be the ancient Roman goddess of war, Bellona."

"Of war. Of destruction. Of conquest. And, of bloodlust." Clarice whispered as she sunk down on the mattress. She turned over onto her stomach before propping her head on her own hand to peer at him. "The myth says that the priests that worshiped her would wound their own arms and legs just to sacrifice their blood for her."

"Inspired by me it sounds." Hannibal concluded.

Clarice smiled. "Not only of you." She ran a hand through her hair, focusing on the pillow under his arm instead of meeting his eyes. "I had only known I was pregnant for a couple weeks. I hadn't told anybody yet. I was just trying to figure things out. One night, I was still at the office. The bosses wanted me there almost all the time to help track you down. I had ordered some more case files on you. The idiot who brought it down to me cut the whole side of his hand with the paper inside the files." She met his eyes, a shy smile gracing her features. "He got a little too close, and I could smell him. I could smell his blood."

Hannibal rested his hand on her back, caressing her spine just to touch her. He could feel the arousal brewing in his belly, knowing where this was going. "You craved blood during your pregnancy."

"We could call it a yearning. It wasn't chocolate or ice cream or peanut butter." Clarice whispered, her eyes dilating. "Crime scenes were the worst. There was one, a fresh body laying out like it was on display, nearly made me lose it. I had to excuse myself from the scene and told my boss it was a pregnancy thing, and I was getting sick."

Hannibal grinned before leaning forward and kissing her shoulder. "Tell me, Clarice. Did you sate this cra-yearning for human blood?" He continued his kisses to her neck before she turned onto her back. He crawled over, his lips leaving invisible trails along her skin. "Did you allow your teeth to sink into human flesh?"

Clarice bit her lip as his lips moved down further. His hands moved to her bare thighs, her body only covered in an oversized t-shirt and boy shorts. He quickly discarded the latter. "I wanted to, but I wanted to see your face when I tasted it for the first time." She felt her heart beating in her ears as his lips pressed into her inner thighs. She gasped when he nipped just shy of where she needed him most. "The craving scared the shit out of me, but I wanted her more than anything else."

"With her existence, with my child in you, you craved blood, but you wanted her. You wanted our child. Why is that?" Hannibal asked, his hot breath spreading goosebumps on her thighs and stomach. She quivered meeting his piercing eyes even in the darkness of her bedroom.

"Darion can mean gift and quiet, silence." Clarice confessed. "The moment I heard her heartbeat, the screaming went away. She was the one life, my lamb, that I could save. My gift of silence."

Hannibal's grin could probably be seen in space as he crawled back over her and captured her lips with his. She moaned into his mouth, clinging onto him. Her teeth tugged at his bottom lip before he made his way back down her body. "I will find a way to allow you that experience, to discover why I love it as much as I hope you will. In the meantime, I want to experience you like I haven't before."

Clarice threw her head back when he tossed her legs over his shoulders and dove into her depths with his tongue. "Hannibal!"

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	9. Chapter 9

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"Apparently she woke up at some point. She's changed from last night's attire." Hannibal stated, walking back into Clarice's room to see her dressing for work. The ribbon he had used to tie the door shut was quickly discarded in the trash can in her bathroom. "The booze must have caught up with her stomach, because she has her trash can by her bedside. Luckily, she hasn't gotten sick yet."

He spoke too soon.

Not a moment later and they heard Bella throwing up in the bathroom next door. Clarice sighed as she clipped her badge to her belt. "I should call Ardelia and explain what happened. Maybe I talk to Winnie too about last night. That couldn't have been fun for her." The thoughts darted away though when they heard another wave crash over Bella and the toilet bowl.

"I'll go raid the kitchen for some dry foods. Hopefully, something will settle her stomach." Hannibal relented before trotting down the stairs.

Clarice briefly observed his behavior. It was like he had truly lived there with them for eighteen years. She smiled at the thought before she heard Bella heave again, quickly moving to the bathroom to check on her daughter.

Bella, sweatshirt, shorts, and hair tied back, was curled over the toilet, and it looked like it took every ounce of energy in her to keep her upright. Clarice kneeled beside her and rubbed her back. "Don't fight it, baby. Your body needs to get rid of it." She felt Bella sway, but kept her upright with a firm arm around her waist. She brushed back the stray strands of hair not long enough to be tied back. "I'm sorry I put you through this."

"You didn't force the bottle of tequila down my throat, Mom." Bella groaned. She coughed a couple times before wiping off her mouth with a piece of toilet paper. She flushed the toilet before dropping onto the floor, leaning heavily against the bathtub. "I don't even remember getting home last night."

"I wouldn't be surprised. You were pretty drunk." Clarice stated before running a washcloth under cold water from the sink and pressing it to Bella's forehead. "I know you were upset, but what you did last night was really stupid. Dangerous even. You were out trying to taunt a serial killer into coming to kill you. You scared the hell out of me, out of Winnie, out of Dr. Lecter. Let me tell you something. It takes a lot to scare him."

Bella closed her eyes against the cold towel. "I really doubt he was scared."

"You'd be wrong." Hannibal piped in, popping from around the corner with a sprite and a package of crackers. "You don't know me well enough yet, but I would kill anyone to prevent what happened last night. I understand my being your father can't be an easy pill to swallow."

Bella sighed before taking the washcloth from Clarice to hold to her own forehead. "It actually was." She rolled her eyes at the shocked expressions on both of their faces, but the action of rolling her eyes made her dizzy. "When you told me he was my father, I was relieved in a way. I always wondered if it was going to be some asshole like Krendler or just some person who you made up because the truth was too hard to talk about."

"I don't understand." Clarice frowned with a shake of her head.

Bella huffed out a breath. "I'm happy he's my father. That's what got me so crazy last night. I knew that I should be furious or sad or in shock, but I was actually happy about it. Discovering that I was happy made me mad at myself. I mean, what seventeen year old is happy to find out her father is a wanted cannibalistic serial killer?" She coughed again, feeling the burn in the back of her throat from last night's alcohol. "Even when we were making dinner last night, I was thrilled when he praised me for cutting vegetables. The normal thing would've been to run out of the house in horror, but I walked right in and cooked with him."

Clarice shrugged. "I didn't run away the first time I met Dr. Lecter."

Hannibal cleared his throat from behind her. "You had bulletproof glass protecting you from me."

"You're not helping." Clarice muttered, reaching back and gently smacking his leg.

Bella smiled before groaning. "Even that! The way you two are. It's disturbingly adorable. What is wrong with me?"

"I believe out of the three of us that you are the most normal one." Hannibal smirked, a finger pressed to his lips. "There's nothing wrong with you. If anything, you are more open-minded than the rest of this cruel world."

"He's right." Clarice added in. "He's a killer. I fell in love with him knowing that and willingly had his child even when the pregnancy caused me to have unsavory, dare I say, cravings. You were bound to be a little less than average."

Bella chuckled at the comment before covering her stomach with a grunt. "Don't make me laugh." She lowered the washcloth, feeling slightly better than she was before. "I don't think being more normal than the two of you is saying much." She glanced at the watch on Clarice's wrist. "Mom, aren't you going to be late for work?"

Clarice glanced down at her watch herself, sighing softly. "Shit. I don't want to leave you alone like this. Maybe I could call in."

"Nonsense. I can watch after her." Hannibal insisted with a wave of his hand. "It gives us the opportunity to bond a little bit."

Bella smiled at her mother's worried glance to her. "It's alright. I feel perfectly safe with him."

"It's him I'm worried about." Clarice smirked before kissing Bella's forehead. She stood and turned to Hannibal, pecking his lips. "I'll call later to check in on you two. Text me if anything happens."

"We'll be fine." Hannibal called after her before she rushed out the door to go to work. He turned back to his little bird, tiredly sitting next to the toilet. "How are you feeling?"

Bella gave him a smirk. "Like a million bucks."

Hannibal chuckled hearing the sarcasm laced in her words. "Do you think you're going to get sick again or do you think you can manage to make it downstairs? I'm sure the couch is a lot more comfortable than the floor."

Bella held out her hands, wiggling her fingers like a small child would asking to be carried. "Help me up?"

* * *

Hannibal sat down beside Bella on the couch. She was curled up under the blanket he had covered her with the other night and watching some cooking competition show on the television. "You've got some color back. The dry foods must be settling nicely."

Bella glanced over at him. "They are. Thank you." She observed him for a moment, watching as he draped an arm over the back of the couch behind her. He looked content, but she could tell he was anything but. Her mother was right. He was a mastermind at keeping people away at arm's length unless you knew what to look for. "Are you happy to be a father? I haven't exactly been a darling daughter so far who has you wrapped around her finger."

The twitch of his lips made her smirk inside. At least she could amuse him despite their rough beginning. "You're as blunt as your mother, and that's one of the things I love about her." He looked over at her peering at him over her covered shoulder. "To answer your question, I have mixed emotions. For the most part, I am thrilled to be a father. Never thought I would have the chance to be one. But, I do fear what I passed onto you. I enjoy the life I lead, but that does not mean you want the cravings that I live with."

"For blood?" Bella asked, turning onto her back and playing with her fingers.

Hannibal sighed. "I crave to rid the world of people who are not worth my time. I do enjoy their taste, but it's not what drives me to take a life." He waved his hand towards her. "Much like your distaste of the young Mr. Krendler."

Bella gagged at the thought of Chet coupled with her weakened stomach. "Can we not talk about him?" She slowly sat up, holding his eyes. "Would you actually kill him for me?"

"There isn't much I wouldn't do for you, love." Hannibal admitted before squeezing her arm gently, glad when she didn't seem to tense with anxiety or fear. "What about you? You've met me. Have I met your imagination as to what I would be like?"

Bella smirked. "Well, you've already risked freedom to save me from my first drunken stupor, and you would kill for me. Pretty sure you've exceeded any expectations I've had." She brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them with both arms. "To be honest, you have surpassed my expectations. My mom only hangs out with FBI agents, and for years I feared that I was just an FBI child whose father didn't want her. As much as Mom tried to take away that fear, it was always there."

Hannibal let a sad smile grace his features. "Being unwanted is not a pleasant feeling. I'll be the one, outside of your mother, to tell you that you are very much wanted. I wouldn't have the desire to protect you if you weren't."

"Is there anyone outside of my mother and I that you would protect?" Bella asked, tilting her head to rest against the back of the couch near his hand. Her eyes sparkled like Clarice's with curiosity. It was a sight that both excited and terrified him for the mystery that the women personified.

Hannibal crossed one leg over the other and let a silence hang between them, carefully crafting his answer. "There was once." He stated with a gentle nod. "I had a younger sister in my homeland. When she died, I was too little to protect her. When I got older, I sought revenge for her death and for the little boy who could do nothing to save her. Who could do nothing to stop what he would eventually become."

"You ate them." Bella's conclusion was not a question nor really a statement, more an acceptance to herself of his method of choice.

"They could have fed me remains of my sister, Mischa." Hannibal relented. It was a piece of his past he had not told many. The only other was Clarice and that was the night they had finally given into their desires. She asked a question much like Bella's, and he spoke of the experience for the first time in his entire life. "We were starved, and I wasn't aware of what I was eating at the time. It wasn't until later that I learned what happened to her."

Bella felt the bile in the back of her throat. The pain on his face spoke volumes as to how tortured he was over the guilt, and it brought tears to her eyes to think that he didn't really choose this life either. Maneuvering herself under her blanket, she huddled herself into Hannibal's side, resting her head against his shoulder and an arm across his torso in a side hug. "I'm sorry."

Hannibal wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her hairline. "It's not your fault. Besides, it was long ago. Nothing you should worry yourself over." He felt a warmth in his chest as he held her. The realization finally catching up to the information. She was his. It didn't matter where in the world she was or who she was with. She was forever his. His little bird. "It seems you have begun a quid pro quo, my darling."

Bella let out a chuckle into his chest, not noticing the grin that covered his face. She had heard the term many times listening to the tapes between her parents. Odd to find it comforting rather than redundant. "It seems as though I have. I believe it's your turn."

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	10. Chapter 10

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_Hannibal sat shivering, his breath creating clouds of mist in front of his eyes. Despite the dangerously low temps and the unfamiliar surroundings, he remained still, back straight, with Mischa's hand grasping onto his. Her teeth chattered beside him, the once luscious coat on her shoulders now tattered beyond its means of keeping her warm. His was not far behind, the thick wool worn from his constant need to wear it. _

_The calm before the storm._

_The hand holding his became much smaller, and, when he looked back to gaze at his innocent sister, she was no longer there. In her place, another young girl sat. Brown curls. Innocent face like Clarice's. Piercing eyes like his. In the hand not holding his, a stuffed, tattered bird shook in her tiny fingers. His little bird._

_That's when the commotion started. The shouting coming closer as his little bird turned to him in fear, eyes wide. He tried to move, to lift her, protect her, but found himself strapped to the body cart with the mask over his face. _

_A door nearby opened and one of the men emerged, covered in blood. Behind him, Clarice's body lay lifeless on a table picked over. Her eyes were still open, looking towards him and Bella. The men around her toasting and drinking to their full bellies. The storm inside him brewed, but he could feel his little bird's hand slipping from his as the butcher grabbed her. _

Hannibal's head snapped up from its resting position on the back of the couch. His heart thudded against his chest as he frantically looked around. It was still morning, maybe almost noon. Clarice's townhouse. The TV was barely audible at this point, turned down from his lengthy conversation with Bella before they both nodded off. And, his little bird lay curled up in his side. Her breathing even against his chest.

Alive. Well. Breathing. Safe.

He buried his nose into her hair, inhaling sharply. He hadn't had a nightmare about Mischa in years, and never one that transformed her into the other people he cared most about in his life. There wasn't much that got his heart rate up, but the thought of Clarice and Bella in the line of danger with no way for him to help was terrifying.

His body tensed hearing the front door open and close, tightening his arm around Bella. When Clarice came around the corner already shedding her work clothes, he relaxed to the welcome sight. She looked over at him after removing her jacket. "Hey," she whispered, smiling at him, "look at that. You're a natural."

"I think it was her initiation of quid pro quo that brought us here." Hannibal smirked before she sat down next to him, taking his arm in her hands and wrapping it over her shoulders. He held back his chuckle when she kicked up her feet on the coffee table next to his. "Comfortable?"

"Very." Clarice hummed, resting her head back against his shoulder. "How long has she been asleep?"

Hannibal glanced at the time in the corner of the television screen. "I'm not entirely sure. I just woke up myself."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Hannibal frowned. He knew that he didn't have as many walls up around Clarice anymore, but he didn't think he had been that transparent. "How did you know?"

Clarice placed her hand over his chest, reminding him of his still slowing heart. "Your heart is racing." She gazed up at him. "Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I could help you figure out what it means."

Hannibal smiled before pecking her lips. "Later." He turned his attention to Bella when she stirred, sighing softly, before resettling against his side. He could still see the little girl with curls in his dream. "I don't think I can let her go, Clarice."

"I know. What are we going to do with her?" Clarice mused, brushing back a few stray hairs on Bella's cheek. "Not just about last night either. I'm still thinking about your proposal with her European college and our traveling. I want it."

Hannibal grazed his thumb along the side of her neck. "I'm not willing to leave without the two of you with me. Without you, leaving is not an option for me to choose." He leaned down and kissed both of their heads. "And, I can't stay here forever."

"We'll need to talk to her about this." Clarice whispered. "With her grades and the classes she's completed, she's eligible for graduation in December. She mentioned it to me when she was picking out her classes. Just two months away."

"We would need to discuss your departure as well." Hannibal breathed into her auburn locks. "You're still somewhat of a celebrity around here. Leaving the FBI would be newsworthy. With our history, I'm afraid a sudden departure of the country might raise some red flags."

Clarice huffed out a breath with a roll of her eyes. "I raise flags whether I'm an officer or not. Been that way since my first interview with you." She turned her head to kiss his hand, caressing the calloused skin with her own fingers. "Taking Bella over for a trip to tour colleges might be a little more believable. Once we're there, we could use aliases to fly from place to place. At least Bella and I could use our real identities where ever she chooses for school."

"And, that's if she agrees." Hannibal reminded her.

"Yes," Clarice nodded, "if she agrees."

* * *

Clarice laughed behind her hand as Hannibal attempted to find something in her kitchen to satisfy is palate. Nearly everything he had found was processed or off brands, not even close to his standard. When the noise of her laughter hit his ears, he turned to glare at her. Usually, he would find the sound pleasant and welcome, but when it was caused by his failing efforts it was unacceptable. "I'm surprised you two even function living off of this junk food."

"Hannibal, it's hardly junk food. We don't have the luxury of time and money to prepare five course dinners like you used to." Clarice explained before standing from her seat and joining him in the kitchen. "Look. A can of beef stew would be good with some bread-"

"I'd rather eat dog food." Hannibal growled seeing the contents of the can as Clarice opened it. "It looks like vomit, Clarice."

She rolled her eyes at him of course and dumped the soup into a pot on the stove. "Fine. You keep looking. Bella and I will enjoy this."

"You can't possibly find this appetizing." Hannibal exclaimed, putting a lid on the pot to keep the aromas at a minimum. "Compared to last night's feast of lamb, this will be no more than a cheap substitute, forcing the imagination to heighten the flavors that aren't there."

Bella groaned as she opened her eyes, finally waking up from her morning slumber. She sat up and peered at her parents over the back of the couch. "What are you blubbering about? I figured you'd be happy once Mom got home."

Clarice smirked, dropping onto her elbows on the counter. "I opened a can of beef stew, and I think he's had a stroke over it."

"Do you actually like this?" Hannibal asked, gazing over at Bella with wide eyes. He held up the now empty can with his fingertips.

Bella shrugged. "It's alright. If you dunk buttered bread into it, it's really good." She smiled when Hannibal shuddered and dropped the can into the trash. "How about you don't judge us for what we like to eat, and we won't judge you for what you like to eat?"

Hannibal continued to raid the kitchen. "So, I can tell you about the time I paired someone's liver with some fava beans."

Before he could continue the story he once told Clarice, he heard the teeth noise he had made when eating it. But, it wasn't his voice. He looked over his shoulder to see Bella smirking. She made the noise again before he looked to Clarice. She blushed slightly trying to ignore the noise. "I may have let her listen to our tapes too many times. And as in let, I caught her listening to the tapes without my permission too many times."

"You can't really blame me. I do have two parents who don't follow the rules. I was doomed from the start." Bella smirked before climbing over the couch and leaning on the island. She glanced over at the digit clock on the microwave. "Have you, uh, gotten the mail yet?"

Clarice was reminded of her conversation with Winnie the afternoon before because of Bella's quick departure from the school. "I haven't yet. Why?"

"I can go get it." Bella shrugged, fighting the urge to dash to the small mail box outside their door.

"You're eager. Does it have anything to do with your application to Columbia?" Clarice asked before biting into an apple sitting out on the counter. She eyed her daughter as she froze and slowly turned with bright red guilty cheeks. She shrugged her shoulders as if she had just asked Bella how her day was. "I'm kind of eager myself. Psychology major too, huh?"

Hannibal's nose flared seeing Clarice's eyes squint. Although his knowledge of the topic seemed to be as limited as hers, he could tell that Clarice had practiced his own methods over the years, apparently on their daughter. He could feel pride swell in his chest while arousal swirled low in his belly. Before he could linger on the latter, he returned to the task of finding something edible in their kitchen, keeping his ears attuned to the two women in his presence.

Bella took a shallow breath. "How did you find out about that? I only told. . .shit."

Clarice hummed as her eyebrows cocked at her daughter's realization. "Yes, Winnie isn't the best person to share secrets with I gather. She's been that way since you two were little. Yet, you still tell her the things you don't want to tell me."

"If I told you I was applying there, you would have flat out refused." Bella stated. "I mentioned psychology for a secondary degree one time, and it was like I was discussing the possibility of dating Chet Krendler. I figured if I was accepted it would be a little easier to tell you."

Clarice, despite understanding where Bella was coming from, was still furious. Bella didn't lie about it, but she hid it. That probably hurt more than it would've if Bella had just told her she wanted to go to New York after high school. But, the circumstances then were different now, and the distance that will drive her insane is something she'll have to deal with to keep Hannibal in their lives. "I get that I've been pushing the whole D.C. college on you, and that I wasn't overly thrilled with you considering psychology-"

"Why? We both have that degree." Hannibal piped in, glancing at her over his shoulder with a slight frown.

Clarice smirked. "Yes, and we're both considered insane."

"Hardly. Brilliantly insane would be better, but still. Hardly." Hannibal retorted before turning his attention back to the cupboards.

Bella sighed as she walked back over to the island where Clarice stood. "Look, I know that I should've talked to you about it instead of going behind your back. I just needed to do this without anybody telling me what I should and shouldn't do. You know that you're the last person I want to keep secrets from." She smiled when Clarice wrapped her arms around her in a hug. "Despite how well you keep secrets from me."

Clarice pulled back with a frown. "What have I kept from you?"

"I believe I would be considered exhibit A in this case, darling." Hannibal smirked before pulling down an empty bowl and taking a carton of eggs out of the fridge. "Why don't you tell her our proposal?"

Clarice bit her lip and played with Bella's hair. "What about not going to New York? What if I told you that you could go to college in Europe and learn ballet or whatever else you want to learn?"

Bella's eyes widened as she nervously glanced between Hannibal and Clarice. "What's in Europe?"

"I own a small number of properties in various countries, all under other names of course. I usually spend my winters traveling between them and spend summers in Argentina. I bought a rather large property there that will hopefully become a home for the three of us." Hannibal explained, careful not to insinuate that she should agree for his sake. He wanted this to be her decision, just like he gave Clarice the choice eighteen years ago. "You could go to school as Bellona Starling, and then travel under another name I could provide you with."

"What about Mom?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Clarice slowly walked over to Hannibal with a small smile. He wrapped his arm around her waist when she spoke. "I'd be with your father."

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	11. Chapter 11

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"So, we'd be running away?" Bella concluded, sitting at the island as Clarice dished up a bowl of the beef stew and Hannibal rolled out his homemade pasta dough. "From everything we've known our entire lives. We'd just abandon our identities."

"I told you I regretted staying here the moment I woke up the morning after your father left." Clarice sighed and handed Bella the filled bowl and a piece of bread. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm not expecting you to make a decision now. But, it's another option. One that Hannibal can give us. You can start fresh. You can graduate this December and finally get away from Krendler."

Bella scoffed. "That would be a dream."

Hannibal grabbed a knife from the counter and began thinly slicing his dough. "This is your decision. Whatever you want to do, we will support you one hundred percent. Like your mother said, this is just a chance to do something you might not have thought possible for yourself."

Bella tore of a piece of her bread and began stirring it around in the brown broth. "So, how would it all work? If we keep our identities as Starlings, we can't just disappear into the night."

"Once you got your diploma in December, I could take an early leave from the FBI and take you to Europe to tour colleges. That wouldn't even be a lie. During the school year, I could come visit you. We'd set up a permanent residence under my name where you could live, and Hannibal and I would come visit. During the summers, we could all go down to Argentina." Clarice explained. The plan was quite simple when you looked at the layer of it, but she knew that intricacies of country hopping and switching IDs was going to be something new for Bella to get used to. Even with her FBI training, it would be something for her to get used to.

"This would allow you to still roam around the Earth without the constant fear of being caught and looking over your shoulder." Hannibal added in before dumping his noodles into the boiling water on the stove.

Bella leaned on her arms, forgetting about her food and growling stomach. "It sounds like there's another option other than that."

Hannibal glanced at Clarice out of the corner of his eye, seeing her doing the same thing towards him. "In the event that things go sour, we could all just run. We'd be on the run for the rest of our lives. I live quite comfortably. I know how to live in the shadows, and I could teach you the things you want to know. Foreign languages, the ballet, history. Your mother and I both know psychology. You could be anyone you wanted to be with any qualifications that you desire."

Bella bit her lip. "I just wouldn't be allowed to come back to the states."

"Again, that depends on what happens. If we were to be caught keeping your father here, we would both be subject for criminal charges." Clarice stated. "If we just run, we could return, but there would be lots of questions. We would be followed while we were here."

Hannibal reached out and caressed Bella's cheek. "And, that DNA of yours is deadly in the wrong hands."

"Because, I prove that you two slept together. I prove the rumors that have been circling since your first meeting with each other." Bella breathed, dropping her head to her fist. "I'll always be that dangerous too. Whether we're caught with him or not-"

"A search of our house would show that you're his daughter." Clarice whispered. She lifted up her own bowl of soup and walked around the island to sit in the barstool beside Bella. "It's a lot to process."

Bella gulped, knowing what she wanted but needing to know everything. "What happens if I say no?" She saw a flash of disappointment cross over Clarice and Hannibal's faces before they covered it up.

Clarice stroked Bella's hair. "Then, we would stay here, and your father would come visit when he could." She forced a smile on her face, because she couldn't even know if that last part was true. It took nearly two decades for her and Hannibal to have even a fraction of physical contact since the night he fed Paul his own brain tissue. The thought of parting with him again would crush her, but leaving her only daughter in a country she most likely could never enter again would never be an option. She'd choose her daughter over Hannibal every time, and she knew that Hannibal would do the same. He would be willing to sacrifice her if it meant Bella could live the life she wanted. "We support whatever you want to do. We just want you to be happy."

"Anytime you are ever in trouble - I'll be there taking down anybody you name." Hannibal stated with a startling low voice. He smirked at her with a wink before making the nibbling noise she had mocked him with earlier, the one he taunted Clarice with the first time they met.

Bella chuckled at Hannibal, happy that the tense moment seemed to be broken with the simple noise.

* * *

Clarice moaned softly, supporting herself on Hannibal's chest while her hips moved against his in sharp movements. They were both panting as they met each other's thrusts, the rhythm of their breathing matching the one that pulsed with each meet of their pelvises. Needing more skin to skin contact, she leaned down and nearly attacked his mouth as their bodies moved tightly against each other. Her breasts pressed against the matted hair on his. The flesh of his stomach grazed hers every time his hands pulled her down to impale on him again. Between her legs, the fire in her core burned intensely as he filled her.

Hannibal groaned into her mouth before rolling them over so she laid on her back. Before she could wrap her legs around his waist, he flipped her onto her belly and all but yanked her onto her knees. He thrust back into her heat, clamping a hand over her mouth to capture her moan with his palm. "Hold onto the bedpost."

Clarice nearly came undone from the low octave of his voice. He only came unglued like this in the heat of passion, and it did wonders to push her closer to the edge. She quickly dropped to her elbows and held onto the bedpost. "Jesus, Doctor." She panted.

"Wouldn't that be a comparison." Hannibal chuckled before wrapping his hands back around her hips and picking up from the rhythm she had set. He could see and feel her body's muscles contracting as her impending orgasm drew nearer. Seeing her grip on the bedpost, he moved one hand to the base of her spine and gently pushed down, angling her for deeper penetration. With his other hand, he reached around her thigh and let his fingers slowly find her clit.

"Fuck." Clarice gritted out as her universe combust. She reached for the pillow to muffle her cries, but found herself pulled back against Hannibal's chest. One hand over her mouth and the other in her hair. She bit the hand over her mouth when he continued to thrust, letting her ride out her pleasure before releasing himself. She shuddered feeling him empty inside her.

She didn't realize she was still biting his hand until she tasted the copper in her mouth.

Hannibal kissed her neck as she released his hand from her teeth. He could feel the warmth of his blood in his palm now. Just a small bite, and the sensation of her teeth penetrating him made his release all the more pleasurable. He continued to kiss her skin, his tongue running along the shell of her ear. "My, my, Clarice. I didn't know your cravings were still so strong. Tell me. How do I taste to you?"

Clarice licked her lips, his blood wet on them. Instead of words, she knew a way to surprise him with her answer. Taking his wrist into her hands, she lifted his bleeding index finger to her mouth and sucked on the wound, using her tongue to wipe away the access blood. She felt victorious feeling Hannibal's breath hitch, causing her back to arch back over his chest.

When the wound was as clean as it would get, she let it go with a popping noise and sighed contently dropping her head back against his shoulder. "Does that answer your question, Doctor?"

Hannibal bucked against her, causing her to gasp, before he craned his neck to kiss her lips gently. Far from the frenzied kiss they shared during their love making. "You, my dear, make my world much more interesting."

Clarice chuckled before pecking his lips once more. She moved back onto her hands and grunted when he pulled out of her. Although she was sated and exhausted, she didn't think she could ever get tired of having him buried between her legs.

They both moved to lie down on the pillows of her bed: him on his back, her on her stomach.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Clarice?" Hannibal asked into the silence of her room.

Clarice giggled, not noticing the bright smile that transformed his lips in delight. "Hannibal, we just had sex. I'm pretty sure you could ask me anything. It's never stopped you before, even when we were separated by bulletproof glass and a food tray."

Hannibal rolled his eyes thinking about the dark, dungeon-like cell without a proper view. But, he was no longer there. Lots of things had changed since then. "Why do you call me 'Doctor' when I'm fucking you?"

"Honestly, I imagined fucking you long before I even considered calling you Hannibal." Clarice smirked, propping her upper body up on her arms. A moment of silence passed between the two, and she knew that her fears weren't just hers. "What if she says no, Hannibal?"

Hannibal sighed, turning on his side and wrapping an arm around her waist. "I guess I try to visit you more often. At least now I know that I won't be handcuffed when I enter the house." He met her eyes. "But, then again, there are a lot of situations outside of being arrested that could call for handcuffs."

Clarice chuckled, dropping her head to his shoulder before he kissed the crown of her head. "I can't leave her, but. . .I can't live without you either. I just can't, not after everything that's happened."

"We'll find a way, my little Starling." Hannibal breathed, brushing back her damp hair. "You know I always find a way."

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	12. Chapter 12

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Clarice rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she rounded the corner from the front hall into the open living room and kitchen. Her eyes immediately fell to her daughter who was sitting on her usual barstool, one knee brought up against her chest, with a laptop laying open in front of her. "You're up early."

"I've been researching." Bella said, her voice distracted as her eyes continued to absorb the information on her bright screen. "I also emailed the principal about an early graduation from your address. He'll probably call tomorrow about it."

"You requested the early graduation?" Clarice asked, sleep all but forgotten now. She felt a thrill rise inside of her chest, but didn't raise her hopes just yet. "Did you hear from New York already?"

Bella smirked with a shake of her head. "I don't care about that anymore." She turned her computer to Clarice as Hannibal padded up slowly behind them. "I've narrowed it down to either The American College of Greece in Athens or the University of Bologna in Italy. Both offer psychology and visual/performing arts as degree programs. Both cities have dance studios and schools." She turned to her parents, biting her lower lip. "I figured I could still apply for next fall and then I could learn the language before I start college. The only problem is the tuition for the double majors."

Hannibal reached around her to fiddle with the screen. "Don't worry about that. Whatever you want to do or where ever you want to go, I've got that covered." He kissed her forehead before wrapping an arm around her shoulders from behind. "Is this really what you want?"

Bella grinned, reaching up and squeezing his arm around her. "We only have Ardelia and Winnie here. Winnie will be going to college in California, and Ardelia is as busy as Mom. There's nothing keeping us here other than familiarity of surroundings. I want to go."

"Which one are you leaning towards?" Clarice asked, excited to see the colleges that her daughter had seemed to find overnight. She sat on the edge of the barstool that sat empty from her daughter's small frame. "Both places should be loaded with history, which you can't seem to get enough of."

"Hmm, I wonder why." Bella chuckled, squeezing Hannibal's hand gently before he moved to presumably make breakfast. "I'm not sure, but touring the two could prove to be helpful. We'll have plenty of time before the school year starts again."

Hannibal nodded his agreement. "Apply to both places. You should get responses in the next few months. We can plan accordingly then." He opened up the fridge and pulled out an egg carton along with the small jug of milk. "I don't have a residence in Greece, but that could quickly be remedied if you choose to attend college there." He grinned when Bella's eyes twinkled with something purer than happiness.

It was freedom. The same freedom that shown in his eyes when he escaped the confines of the asylum, and that now shown in Clarice's knowing that their long awaited coupling wasn't just going to be another blip in their long history. He was sure she could see his relief in freedom sparkling back at her.

Bella stood, closing her laptop. "As much as I'd like to continue this conversation, I promised Winnie a day of shopping to apologize for my behavior Friday night. I apparently drank the entire bottle of tequila she brought."

"Speaking of which, I should ground you for that. You also kept a secret college application from me." Clarice prodded, looking over her shoulder at Bella. "We don't keep secrets here, Bella."

Bella quirked an eyebrow at Clarice with a smirk. "Shall I remind you of your secret about who my real father was?"

Clarice's eyes narrowed before she extended her hand. "Truce?"

Bella smiled before shaking Clarice's hand. "I shouldn't be gone long. Is there anything I should get or shouldn't say?"

"For now, let's keep the early graduation in our pockets. I don't want that getting around until I get things moving at work." Clarice sighed. "Whatever you do buy, it has to be worth the space in one of your suitcases once we leave. Chances are we won't be coming back to the states for a long time."

Hannibal began heating pans on the stove. "The point is to blend in, so things in the local area where we choose to reside would be better than clothes from. . .is it The Gap?" He smirked when Bella rolled her eyes. "Shall I presume that we'll be dining with Ms. Winnie?"

"As much as I would enjoy whatever you intend on making this morning, Winnie will be here in ten minutes to pick me up." Bella smiled before kissing Clarice's cheek. "I'll call when I'm on my way home."

Clarice waited until Bella's feet bounded up the stairs before turning back to Hannibal. "She's excited. I don't know if she's thought it through completely."

Hannibal cracked an egg into the pan, immediately hearing the sear of the cold yolk hitting the hot non-stick metal. "Most likely not, but is what she said false? She did not just say yes. She sought out a kind of life that would suit the way we need to live." He noticed Clarice bite her lip, and he briefly reflected on the interaction they had shared in her bedroom the night before that caused her to bite her lip like that. "The initial excitement will die down. We have some time to gauge her true reaction."

"Only a few weeks until December. The school would most likely give her diploma to her before Christmas break." Clarice sighed, resting her arms on the counter. "I just don't want her to regret her decision. She's still so young. We'd be tying her to a life where she would have no ties."

"It does seem she lives that way now by her observation of her life." Hannibal concluded. "You said so yourself that, outside of your FBI friend, you have no one and no where to go where you would feel comfortable." He grinned when she cast a glare to him. "My darling Clarice, our little bird will have lots to process in the coming weeks. Instead of our interference, I'd rather her come to her own notions of her future much like I left your decisions about our path up to you."

Clarice stood from her barstool and walked around the island before pushing herself up to sit on the counter next to his standing form. She waited patiently until his eyes met hers, and she wished that she could read him as well as he seemed to read her. "Why did you leave it up to me? I didn't exactly shy away from you that night. Hell, we made a child. You knew that I would eventually come back to you, because you knew my career would revolve around saving the metaphorical lambs instead of playing nice for the politics of the FBI. Why didn't you just take me away?"

Hannibal smiled before returning his attention back to their breakfast. "As much fun as that would have been, I knew all too well what it was like to be in a position without choice or freedom to choose. I savor your passion and anger when it results to benefit us both. But, choosing for you would have created a dark cloud over our beginnings even with our inevitable coupling. Had I known of the Roman goddess you were carrying in your womb, I would have come back sooner to somewhat quicken your shift in perspective."

"Yes, she is still a young thing." He continued. "And, her perspective could change dramatically, ten times over, in the coming future. She still has yet to witness the actions of my darker tendencies, and I assume that you have curiosities of your own." He leaned over and kissed her lips slowly, not demanding or lustful. Purely loving and reassuring. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm very adaptable. I can live with a few unexpected changes."

Clarice reached out and squeezed his wrist. "How about some unexpected requests?"

Hannibal small slip of a smile did not go unnoticed, and she felt a tinge of joy flutter in her chest before he spoke. "Like what, Agent Starling?"

Clarice's body seemed to buzz hearing the familiar metallic he had used when they first met. When she was still under the thumb of Jack Crawford, the tone made her nervous. Now. . .it sent goosebumps coursing across places where she shouldn't have goosebumps. "Leaving the FBI for no immediate apparent reason would raise some red flags. With my history with you, I would need a fairly gruesome excuse to leave with the fear that I might, let's say, cross over to the dark side."

"If only they knew how far gone you were." Hannibal whispered into her ear. He rested his free hand along her waist, softly caressing. "I'm sure something gruesome, as you say, could be arranged. I must say. I never thought that you would request of my other hobbies so soon."

"Then, my next request will really surprise you." Clarice smiled before caressing his cheek. His eyes bore into hers, and she felt heat flood between her legs when she saw his eyes turn black with her next words. "I would like to join you in your hobbies this time."

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	13. Chapter 13

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Bella stood outside the changing rooms, browsing through a nearby rack without really glancing at the articles of clothing her fingers touched. The store clerks circled like vultures waiting for Winnie to emerge from the changing room with the pile of clothes she had walked in with. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time she felt relieved to not have to deal with it again.

Winnie grew up swimming in money. And, that never bothered Bella. She was content with the life that she and Clarice led. If anything, she had found that Winnie's life of constant money and trust funds only seemed to dance on her nerves. The fake friendliness from others was the worst. Many had tried to become friendly with her just to get close to Winnie, and she had spent enough time in the principal's office for showing a thing or two to those who attempted to use her.

When they had the privilege to go somewhere and not have a swarm of clerks or false friends approach, Winnie's usually bright and sunny attitude turned to one of sour comments about the lack of attention she was getting. Those days were the ones where Bella took the first opportunity to return home. Winnie became a leech for all her attention. As much as she loved her best friend, she wasn't the kind of person who wanted needy pleas for attention when she hadn't shown any sign of ignoring her.

Her thoughts were interrupted though when the curtain behind her opened and Winnie stepped out in one of the many outfits she had picked out from the store's racks. She made a show of flaunting her every angle, a triumphant smirk on her lips. Bella smiled gently, still forced. "Why am I not surprised by your choice of neon colors?"

Winnie giggled and looked down at the outfit on her. "Dress how you feel, and I feel in bright colors."

One of the clerks flocked over, giving them the few seconds to exchange remarks about the dress, before imposing her own opinions on how Winnie's body was perfect for the dress adorning her frame. Bella took the opportunity to leave the two be, knowing Winnie would eventually come after her when she had laid down her credit card to pay.

Even in the mall, surrounded by people, accompanying her lifelong friend, she felt an absolute loneliness. An empty recess that could not be filled with engaging in the shopping trip or chatting with one of the other browsers in the store. This Bella was a mask, and she was tired of wearing masks. Half of her was tempted to shout the truth about who she was, but the other half knew that doing so would only cement her future of wearing masks.

How ironic? Pretty sure Hannibal was tired of wearing the mask with bars over his mouth.

And, how to feel about Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The initial relief and spark of happiness that filled her when Clarice gave her the information was still fresh, but it hadn't dulled in the slightest. If anything, the knowledge of it only solidified her feelings. Still, she'd probably only seen the most polite Hannibal so far. She'd listened to his taped conversations with Clarice as well. He was always well behaved. It was his nature.

Was he still the polite gentleman when he sunk his teeth into his victim's bodies? His words would contradict his actions, but she imagined he'd keep up with the image of a gracious host. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

"Thinking of me, Starling." Chet's voice whispered into her ear. She felt the air change behind her, and his heavy cologne filled her senses long before he spoke. A hand that didn't belong to her came to rest on the inside of her left thigh, reaching dangerously high. "That smile on your face doesn't fool me."

"Oh, this smile?" Bella quickly turned and manipulated his arm to twist against his side. He grunted to hold in the yelp she was very familiar with from the years of his desire to touch her. "I was thinking of you actually, picturing you bleeding out at my feet."

Chet ripped his arm free, but smirked at her with a nod. "Kinky." He glanced over his shoulder to see Winnie at the checkout counter, oblivious to the encounter between the two of them. "I'm sure your friend has told you about me. C'mon, I'd make it the best twenty minutes of your life, but I'd like to know your body more than just the one time."

Bella stepped back when his hand reached out to touch her again. "Twenty minutes, huh? What would we do with the other nineteen minutes and forty-seven seconds." She smirked when Chet's face blushed with fury. "I'll never sleep with you, Krendler."

"I never said anything about sleeping." Chet's signature charm was back in full swing as he leaned closer to her. "What I want to do to you, you wouldn't dream of sleeping through that."

"Whatever you want to do to me, shove those thoughts up your ass. It isn't going to happen." Bella stated before moving past him. She didn't get far though when his hand enclosed around her arm and tightly pulled her back to him. "Let go of me, Chet."

Chet's charm was gone. His fury was left crystal clear to anyone within the store. "I've been chasing after you since we were kids. I deserve what I've worked so hard for."

Bella couldn't stop the laugh that broke from her throat. "What you've worked for? I'm not a prize. I'm not something you can just expect to eventually bag and tag. I'm not getting into a backseat with you or crowding into a nearby closet. I'm not going to open my mouth or legs for you, so back the fuck off." When he didn't let go of her arm, she glanced down at his hand. "I'll rip that hand off of you."

"Rip it off, huh? I figured being the daughter of Hannibal Lecter's prized Clarice Starling would lead you to bite it off." Chet smirked, leaning in closer to her. "Who knows? You might even be his daughter. Rumors swirl through the FBI, Bella."

Bella smirked. He may say it, but there was no way anybody actually believed it, even if it was the truth. "At least I'd have more brains than you. . .and your father." Chet released her then, nearly tossing her arm aside as if it burned him. "Did I hit a nerve, Krendler? I thought that was rather clever."

The tension was strong, but it didn't seem to gain the attention of Winnie when she bounded over and tugged on Bella's arm. "Chet, as pleasant as it is to see you," her voice was dripping sarcasm, "I have plans with Bella. So, scamper along now."

* * *

"Who did you have in mind?" Hannibal asked, smoothing his thumbs over the soles of her feet resting in his lap. After their breakfast and a shorter revisit to their night's activities, they had retired themselves to the couch. The natural turn to a domestic activity between them was not lost either.

Clarice laid with her head on the opposite end of the couch, gazing at him with her arms stretched up and over her head. They dangled over the arm of the couch, fingernails grazing the material that covered its wooden structure. "Well, I was thinking Krendler, but I can't exactly pull off feeling a loss when the bureau knows the history he and I share." She studied his fingers as they moved over her arch. "Making it personal has risks, ones that you would never allow. Some I would never allow. The only other way out would be to do something reckless, to give them the excuse to get rid of me."

"That would drag out the process of leaving even longer." Hannibal breathed, knowing the process to leave would not leave one detail of her psyche alone. Early retirement was best. A clean break, and his lamb would not leave with a tarnished name. She had fought hard to keep her head held high despite the attempts from her superiors to snuff out her moral compass. "I'm okay with risks as long as it does not threaten you or Bella in the slightest. We have the rest of eternity to risk our safety on the run. I'd rather not start testing our limits before we have even begun our life together."

Clarice pulled her feet from his lap as she sat up. Before he could even voice his desire to continue touching her, she threw a leg over both of his and straddled him, running her hands up his chest before clasping them together behind his neck. "Me either. You have been very patient, and I am grateful for that."

Hannibal smiled, resting his hands on her hips. "I believe I should be the one who is grateful, Clarice. For you are the one who raised our little bird." He let his thumbs stroke her sides. "I wonder what it would have felt like to feel her move within you. To watch you swell during your pregnancy. The image of you alone in the hospital after giving birth is slightly haunting."

Clarice remembered the day she had Bella well. She had already been in the hospital for her recent attack, and the infection from it was threatening to kill both her and Bella. Without telling Delia she was in labor, she demanded that her packed bag of clothes and Lecter stash were to be brought to her. Masking her pain, she sent Delia away to work and let the doctor in to deliver Bella before the infection took them both. But, Hannibal didn't need to know about her complications or the attack. It would only upset him now.

During her induced contractions, she listened to the conversations with Hannibal when the nurses and doctor left. She probably would've had the tapes committed to memory if it weren't for the pain distracting her from listening when the contractions hit. After Bella had been born, she was insistent with the doctor that Bella stay in the room with her despite the fact that she was alone and exhausted. She let the tapes play at a low volume, and Bella didn't fuss.

He might not have been there physically, but Clarice made sure Bella knew the sound of her father's voice.

She leaned down and pecked his lips. "I may have been alone, but I didn't want anyone else there with me. I had your voice with me, and Bella knew your voice only after mine." She pressed her forehead to his, inhaling his scent slowly. "And, she loved listening to your voice. There were nights that I could never settle her down. I'd feed her, change her, sing to her. All I had to do was lay her down on my chest, hit the play button, and let your voice soothe her into peaceful slumber."

Hannibal let out a soft snort of amusement. "No wonder she could imitate me so well. She's been listening to it her whole life." He closed his eyes feeling her fingers gliding through the hair at the nape of his neck. "I still wish I had been there for you. Been there to see her enter the world."

"I might be able to help with that." Clarice whispered.

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	14. Chapter 14

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Hannibal watched as Clarice walked back into the living room after disappearing upstairs. A large, thick book rested in her hands, and she held it out to him with a look of complete trust in her eyes. He gently took the book from her and let it rest on his lap before she sat across from him on the coffee table.

The book was a scrapbook, an Easter green color, with a baby picture in the small window cut out in the cover. In pink flowery letters, Bellona Darion was stuck on the bottom ribbon below the picture. His little, very little, bird. It looked like she was only a few hours old laying in the hospital bassinet. In an oversized pink onesie blanket type cloth, her tiny fists rested by her head. A head full of brown hair. Rosy cheeks with the right amount of baby fat to make her small size look healthier. Most importantly, she was peaceful.

He cast a glance up to Clarice. "You made a baby book."

"I made two. One for Bella to look at and anybody who possibly got that close to us. Only Ardelia and Winnie. This one. . .I made specifically for you." Clarice explained with a slight hesitation. "I knew the risks of my job, and I knew that I needed to give Bella her father in case something happened to me. In the event that I. . .became unfit to be her mother, I had this hidden along with the other gifts you've sent. You would find it, and-"

"You knew that I would stop at nothing to take Bella away from the custody of the FBI." Hannibal concluded, the realization hitting him harder than his voice indicated. "You prepared this for me in the event that you would die in the line of duty."

Clarice nodded, taking a deep breath. He could hear the slight tremor in it, and he could practically feel her pain when she created this. The existence of this book for him was her first admittance to herself that she would rather have Hannibal care for their daughter, even on the run, than have the FBI take care of her. Her first realization that her trust no longer lay with the institution she had once vowed to devote her life to. It was also a realization for her that she may never get to see Hannibal meet their daughter with her own eyes.

"You're her father. I don't care what you did or what you will do. I didn't care back then either. She's as much yours as she is mine, and I wouldn't allow the FBI to take custody of her if there was a chance that you wanted her." Clarice explained with a shrug. "Everything about her is in there. I wanted to talk to you, but had no way to contact you. So, I wrote letters and put them in this book. In the event that this would be needed, I knew you would find it and take Bella, or the FBI would find it and broadcast the scandal across the country. Either way, you would know Bella was yours."

Hannibal gingerly opened up the scrapbook, stiff from most likely sitting still for years. Each page was flooded with pictures of Bella from newborn to what looked like one year old. Some were photos of Clarice pregnant. Inside each sleeve, between the decorated pages, folded papers peeked around the edges. The letters. She had been thorough, and he briefly thought about how much she wanted to speak with him with these many letters. Had he known his need for her had been reciprocated, he would have been back for her before Bella could possibly remember a time without him there for her.

"I must say, Clarice. You are filled with surprises today." Hannibal murmured before flipping another page over to memorize himself with Bella as a baby. The pictures helped ease some of the ache. He could at least place Bella at various ages into his memory palace and imagine what his little bird would have been like as a child. "Pleasant surprises."

Clarice smiled softly. "All the letters are in this book, but there are more scrapbooks of her growing up on the bookshelf." She stated, pointing to the bookshelf that was built into the townhouse. "Reading them should keep you occupied for a little while when Bella and I head back to our normal routine tomorrow."

Hannibal hummed his agreement before reaching out and taking her hand into his. "I very much appreciate this, Clarice." He pulled her to sit next to him on the couch again before returning his attention back to the special scrapbook made just for him by his lamb. "This is most definitely coming with us to Europe. I think I might just have to create a special compartment in my bag for this. I wouldn't want to part with it for too long."

Clarice leaned into his side, closing her eyes as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you like it, Hannibal."

Hannibal pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I will forever treasure it."

* * *

Bella shoved another bundle of fries into her mouth as she watched Winnie eat her chef salad with nothing less than the best table manners as if she were at a five star restaurant being served her the first of five courses. "Sorry again about the other night. I just got some really. . .rather surprising news, and I didn't handle it well. I didn't mean to pull you into it."

"Honey, you rarely lose your shit. I was happy that you called me." Winnie replied before reaching for her water. "It was actually refreshing to help you for a change instead of the other way around. You do things for me all the time. It felt good to return a few favors."

"I'm glad that my lapse in sanity made you feel better." Bella laughed.

Winnie smiled, but she was holding back. Bella could see the question burning behind her eyes and waited patiently for her to just spit it out. She eventually set her fork down on her plate and nervously fiddled with her hands. "You mentioned something about your father when you were drunk. Bella, you all but told me that your father was a serial killer. I don't know if it was the booze talking or if your mom told you something about him, but you were basically laying yourself out for sacrifice."

Bella bit the inside of her cheek. She barely remembered the night at all, and she couldn't even imagine what ideas she gave Winnie. "Shit, I'm sorry."

Winnie sighed. "Is your father really a killer?"

"Honestly, he probably has." Bella whispered. She met Winnie's shocked eyes and shrugged. "Whether he's a cop or a criminal, I have no idea. But, my mom has only been around those two types. Chances are, my father has killed people before." The half lie would at least make up for her hell bent attitude flaunting herself around in the park at that hour. "My mom and I just kind of got into it. You know that I've always wanted to know who my father is. It just all blew up, and I fled the house angry at myself."

Winnie nodded, seemingly pleased with Bella's answer. "I get it. You've been itching to get information about him since we were in four-K. As bad as the night went for you, it could've been worse if you had stayed at ballet practice until the end. Chet was hanging around your locker waiting for you. I think he was half expecting to take you out on that date that you declined to take him up on."

Bella groaned, dropping her face into her hands. "Why can't he just drop dead already? He's so disgusting."

"Why don't you just sleep with him to shut him up? Trust me. It doesn't take that long for him to finish." Winnie chuckled before wiping her mouth with her napkin. "At least, he'll stop bugging you. You could enjoy the rest of senior year without Chet Krendler reaching to get into your pants."

"I'm not sleeping with him just to avoid his advances of sleeping with me." Bella sighed. "I did that with Ray Thomas, and all it did was cause the rest of the football team to leer at me like I was on display."

Winnie rolled her eyes. "He's a big football college star now. You did good when you slept with him."

Bella smirked. "I'm well aware of that. He finished before I even got started. Luckily, his recuperation time was quicker." She laughed when a blush flooded Winnie's cheeks. "Are you done shopping?"

"Yes, I got everything I need for my dad's dinner party." Winnie smiled proudly, glancing at the numerous shopping bags sitting on the chair beside her in the food court. "Why? Did you have somewhere you wanted to go?"

"No, I'm just ready to not be here." Bella sighed, thankful that Winnie didn't know the full extent of how true the statement was.

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	15. Chapter 15

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Bella nearly dropped everything onto the floor the second the front door closed behind her. The few things she had allowed Winnie to buy her would most likely be useless in two months time. She collapsed to the floor, leaning back heavily against the door and huffing out a breath as her eyes closed. When she heard the soft footsteps coming down the stairs, she let a small smile grace her lips. "Is there a chance we could just disappear tonight?"

"What happened?" Clarice asked, sitting on the floor in front of Bella and playing with the ends of her hair.

"Well, we ran into Chet, but he's always horrible." Bella scoffed before meeting Clarice's eyes. "I don't belong here. We don't belong here. I stood in a mall full of people, shopping with somebody I've known my whole life, and I felt completely alone. I felt hollow, and it made me wonder. . .made me think." She exhaled slowly as Clarice took her hands into hers. "I've accepted that as my normal. When it was you and me, I could be myself. Laughing on the couch over something stupid somebody did at work or at school. With Hannibal, I feel the same way. I'm not hiding."

Clarice caressed Bella's cheek. "And, everywhere else has been some kind of false front."

Bella nodded slowly, tearing up despite herself. "I've spent my whole life that way. I don't want to spend anymore time pretending." She welcomed Clarice's embrace, settling into her arms as she stroked her hair. "I just want to go as soon as possible."

Clarice pressed a kiss into Bella's hair, holding her tighter. "I know. We're working on it." She rocked gently, wanting to grant Bella her wish and just disappear into the night with her and Hannibal. But doing that would leave a lot of people looking out for them. "Six weeks. Just give me six weeks, and we'll leave. We can go anywhere you want."

They sat silent for a moment, clinging to one another on the floor in the small space considered a foyer in the townhouse. The silence was broken though when Bella couldn't hear another sound in the house. "Where is he?"

"Creating an out." Clarice whispered.

* * *

Hannibal sat fifty yards from the old farm truck he had found in a downtown parking lot. The moonlight hanging over the desolate park cast shadows on the case file Clarice had in her bedroom - the case file of the Beer Can Killer.

Rather a ludicrous name. Weapon of choice becomes the killer's nickname. What would have Jame Gumb become if not Buffalo Bill? The Savage Skinner?

The case file laid open in his lap, showing the victims of the new serial killer in order of discovery. Seven women, all carved up for no apparent reason with the jagged edge of a beer can. The kind of beer was never the same and neither was the manner to which they were carved. Some was post-mortem. Others were not that lucky. Those crime scenes looked like the victim had been torn up with a chainsaw. Always outside in a park while the victim was either going to work or jogging for exercise.

All the women were toned, white, innocent enough looking. They ranged in two different age groups. Age nineteen to twenty-five and forty to forty-four. The younger age group consisted of brunettes who were regarded and praised by their friends and professors. All of them were bright young things. They were the ones carved alive. The older of the two groups seemed to vary from single mothers to workaholic women or both combined. Fairly successful in their own careers. Natural red heads or purposely dyed that way. Each one of these women had been scalped with the beer can before it was thrust into the soft tissue of their torsos where their wombs lay concealed.

The blatant example brought a metallic tinge to the back of Hannibal's tongue.

He may not know who this killer is yet, but he knew that the kills hadn't become personal yet. These women were merely objects of practice.

* * *

"You're rather clean considering what you were planning for tonight." Clarice stated when Hannibal snuck through the back door in the jogging pants and sweatshirt he left in earlier.

Hannibal hurriedly looked between Clarice, standing in the kitchen, and Bella, curled up in the over-sized arm chair, before dropping the case file onto the counter top. "Your Beer Can Killer should be called the Starling Stalker."

Bella didn't look up from the book in her lap, making a note on a paper pad resting on the cushion beneath her. "That's a way better name." She mumbled before she really realized what Hannibal was stating. "Wait, why that?"

Clarice opened up the file she had given Hannibal and saw the numerous notes that he made next to the victims' pictures. "The killer targeted people who looked like Bella and I." She felt a knot in the pit of her stomach growing and tightening. "How did I not see this?"

"You were looking for your killer outward, not inward. You weren't going to think that you were the real target unless they spelled it out for you with a note." Hannibal sighed before standing beside her at the counter, his eyes trained on the file even though it was still fresh in his mind. "I didn't see it until I found out about our little bird." He didn't see Bella raise her eyebrows at the mention of her unknown nickname. "Who could be after you two, Clarice?"

"A lot of people." Clarice breathed with a shake of her head. "But, I'm not the only person here who has made enemies. The only reason you were in the country eighteen years ago was to help me redeem my place at the FBI when your surviving victim at the time wanted revenge on you."

Hannibal steepled his hands under his chin. "I have earned my share of enemies over the years." He glanced over at Bella, staring back at both him and Clarice. "Do you have anybody to add to our exhaustible list of possibilities?"

Bella's eyes widened sensing the seriousness in his tone. "Uh, only Chet Krendler off the top of my head, but I've been fending him off since we used to have nap time together." She closed her book and walked over to look at the case file herself, not having yet seen this one since it was active under Clarice's eyes. She quickly found the photos of the girls a little older than her, left half naked and mutilated in park bushes. On the news, they had said that the girls had been actually killed with the beer can piercing their internal organs. But, the rest of the case was pretty vague. "Do you really think that someone is after us?"

Clarice moved the evidence pictures around to hide the victims that resembled Bella. She knew that those victims suffered worse. Their autopsies showed that the killer had stabbed the sharp aluminum upward and shredded those women's insides from between their legs. They felt everything before their killer slit their torsos open down the middle and gave them the sweet release of death. Bella didn't need to see those pictures and think about herself being put in that position. Clarice didn't want to think about it either. "We'll find out."

Hannibal noticed the slight change in Bella's pulse, the quickening of it. He could also smell the small amount of perspiration that gathered at her palms. He reached out and gently brought her against his side. "It will all be fine, my little bird. Whoever this is, we will find them before they decide to turn to the worst."

"How could it get any worse? Look at them." Bella breathed, pulling out a picture of the first brunette victim. "If what you're saying is true, these women died because of us. Just lives wasted away like trash."

"These women died because there's someone sick out there with a vendetta." Clarice stated, gently taking the evidence photo from her daughter and putting it between the many documents. To look at the photo and see Bella was too much for Clarice to take, and she knew that Bella was feeling guilty about people dying because someone was after her. "We might be the target, but we aren't the ones in control here."

Hannibal gently rubbed Bella's spine as she hugged herself. Her eyes were glazed over, almost trance-like, and she looked withdrawn from the words being spoken to her. "Bella, you didn't cause this." She met his eyes briefly before they moved back to the evidence. "It's late, and you have school in the morning. Why don't you go get ready for bed? There's no one that will hurt you here."

Clarice wrapped her arm around Bella's shoulders and kissed her head when Hannibal moved Bella to stand between them. "Go. I'll check on you in a couple of minutes."

The two parents waited as Bella gathered her things and headed upstairs to change and do her nightly ritual before climbing into bed. When she was safely out of earshot, Clarice turned her attention to Hannibal. "You think this was Krendler."

"It reeks of them, which makes me question if it's them or not. They aren't very bright, but they wouldn't be this obvious." Hannibal stated, taking a seat at the counter. "Then again, you know them better than I do, and their brain functions might be a little different compared to how it was the last time I ran into Mr. Paul Krendler."

"He's a moron, but he isn't a take action kind of guy. He'll carry out orders, but he doesn't form any plan of his own." Clarice sighed and sat on Hannibal's lap when he tugged her to him. She gazed back at the file. "But, this case points straight to them other than no sexual assault. The women my age were sliced open around the skull where you opened up Paul. The younger ones were nearly torn open from the inside out, and Chet has been trying to sleep with Bella for a long time."

Hannibal's eyes landed on one of the victims that resembled Clarice. Despite his calm exterior, his insides deceived his emotions. Clarice felt the slight twitch of his hands as he held her only a fraction tighter than normally. His body was tense under hers, and she could feel the slight acceleration of his pulse beat against her hand. Hannibal Lecter, despite what everyone else thought, was a human being capable of caring and loving others, and he wanted to protect what was important to him.

Hannibal softly cleared his throat as they both looked down at the file. "Something doesn't sit well though."

"No, it doesn't." Clarice whispered in agreement.

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	16. Chapter 16

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Bella lay in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, when two shadows blocked the small sliver of light yearning to flood under her closed door. A soft knock penetrated the wood of the barrier before the light came shining in. Clarice stood biting her lip as she peered inside. "I see open eyes."

"I can't sleep." Bella stated with a roll of her eyes at her mother's obvious statement. "I just keep thinking about the families. When they find out that the killer was actually after us, they are going to wonder why we weren't harmed at all. I don't even know how to answer that let alone put logic behind it."

Clarice walked over to the bed and laid down beside her daughter. "Bella, honey, you can relax. First of all, what happened to those girls is horrible, and I'm glad that you have sympathy for them and their families. But, you cannot blame yourself and wonder what would've happened if the killer came after us right away. It's going to haunt you if you allow it to."

Bella turned onto her side, facing Clarice. "Those girls' families will be haunted forever thinking that their daughters and sisters and mothers died because somebody couldn't just come kill the people they were mad at." Biting her lip, she met her mother's gaze. "The only people that make sense are Paul and Chet. Where those women were injured. . .it's a personal message. Chet made that loud and clear when I saw him today."

"Wait, what did he say to you?" Clarice asked with wide eyes.

Bella sighed and closed her eyes when Clarice started stroking her hair. "He came up behind me at the mall. He all but told me he was going to take what he wanted whether I liked it or not. When I threatened to hurt him, he threw the rumor of Hannibal being my dad in my face. He was so pissed off when I told him that I'd at least have more brains than him and Paul."

"You always knew how to dish it right back out." Clarice breathed. "He sounds like he's on the edge though. He hasn't ever flat out threatened you, has he?"

"No."

Clarice felt the anxiety building in her chest. "And, I can't keep eyes on you at the school. How many classes do you have with him?"

"Three, but he walks by my locker just to harass me between every class." Bella's voice slowly became quieter as sleep was starting to claim her. "He waits for me after dance practice too. Europe can't come fast enough."

"All good things to those who wait." Clarice whispered before Bella's breathing evened out.

* * *

Clarice leaned back heavily against her bedroom door after she closed it, isolating herself with Hannibal inside her room. Instead of finding him undressing at his side of the bed or sitting comfortably against the headboard, he sat in the corner chair still fully dressed. "What's wrong?"

"I believe it would be wise to create some distance." Hannibal stated, no emotions attached to the announcement. "If this Beer Can Killer is truly after me, I am only creating a dangerous environment for you and Bella. I have some resources at my disposal I can use to help identify who could possibly be behind this. The time away would also allow me to prepare some arrangements for our trip to Europe."

"You sound mechanical, Doctor." Clarice whispered. She sat down at the end of her bed, pulling one of her knees up to her chest. "Almost like you're trying to convince yourself that leaving is the best option."

Hannibal's maroon eyes met hers, almost glowing in the dark corner of the room. "I know it's the best option. It seems as though it's the option I would like to avoid despite my presence being a danger to you both. If I were to stay, I would at least oversee your safety. However, my sources are limited here, and I would hate to prove useless."

Clarice knew he was right. He always was even when she wanted him to be wrong. Cooped up in her townhouse was only going to make him stir crazy and could cause unforeseen challenges with their plans. This is what was needed, but it wasn't what any of them wanted. She still felt the heartache from eighteen years ago when she woke up alone in her bed after denying the chance to run away with him, and it wasn't a feeling she was hoping to relive. "You'll be back this time though."

Hannibal stood from his seat and crouched down in front of her, moving his palms over her hips. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his and draping her arms over his shoulders. His breath tickled her skin when he spoke. "Are you saying that to me or to yourself?"

"A little bit of both maybe." Clarice whispered before pressing her lips to his. "I'm just dreading waking up in the morning. You won't be here."

"In six weeks time, that won't ever be the case again." Hannibal replied, letting it cement into both of their minds. "I'll be keeping eyes on you though."

Clarice smiled. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

* * *

In and out. Putting on his second shoe, Hannibal's eyes fell to Clarice asleep under the sheets they had just shared, breathing in and out. The rise and fall of her chest was steady now, a drastic change from when she was moving her hips against his with legs wrapped around his waist. The image would be one to replay in the coming weeks when he longed to reach out and touch her. He would have something and someone to look forward to as long as that remained. In and out.

With his few belongings back in his pockets, he leaned over the bed and brushed a kiss to Clarice's temple. His nose moved the hair away from her face and allowed him one last view of her profile before he departed. Gently closing the door, he moved to the other bedroom on the floor to see his little bird fast asleep and curled up against large pillow shaped, one could presume, like a cartoon character.

In his mind, she was the image of pure innocence.

Silent with his footfalls, he sat down on the edge of her bed and gingerly took her small hand into his. He smiled fondly looking at them, reminding him of the hands of artists and performers. "My little bird, you were born to inspire." He whispered into her ear before kissing her head. "I shall be back soon."

His intentions on leaving halted when her hand tightened around his. He cast a glance to her face. She was still deep in sleep, but her grip on his hand only tightened. She stirred bringing his hand closer to her and mumbled in her haze a word that he never thought would correlate with himself. "Dad."

She hadn't said that word out loud to him since she found out. Her mind was ahead of what she was verbally willing to allow. Her mind already deemed him as her dad despite the years without him, but, while conscious, she hadn't allowed the word to enter her vocabulary. When her eyes were open, he was still Hannibal. Although he longed for her to call him that while awake, he was happy that she hadn't started calling him that just from the knowledge of knowing her DNA ran alongside his. It was an act of self preservation. Something that both her parents were artists in maintaining.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tape and the walkman that Clarice had used when Bella was born to play their conversation tapes. The tape he held now was new, and he hoped that it would ease Bella in the hard moments that were sure to come in the weeks before her grand farewell from the United States. He set the two items on her nightstand along with a small note before returning his gaze to Bella.

Her hand still held onto his, and he flashed to his nightmare, to his younger reality. Once he returned, he wouldn't allow anything or anyone else to let her or Clarice slip through his fingers. "Patience, my little bird. With me, the world will be at your complete disposal."

* * *

Bella groaned softly as sleep evaded her, the sun chasing it away as it aggressively prodded her eyes. She moved back out of the sunlight before she allowed her eyelids to pull back and give her sight. It was still early, enough time for another hour or so of sleep before Clarice demanded she wake up for school. Looking up to see the time on her alarm clock, the thought of more sleep vanished when she saw a paper with beautiful penmanship marking her name on top of the old walkman her mother used to carry around when she was young enough to still be reaching up to get something on the counter.

Her fingertips snatched the note and flipped it open to find more of the handwriting.

'Stay safe. I'll be watching you, my little bird.'

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	17. Chapter 17

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Clarice hunched over her cup of coffee when she saw Bella trudge in with her backpack and her old walkman. She frowned seeing the device. "What are you doing with that? I had that tucked away in my closet."

"It was left on my nightstand this morning with this note." Bella stated before tossing the paper onto the counter in front of Clarice and plopping down onto the barstool. "Why did he leave? I was just getting used to having him around."

Clarice quickly read the note, a small smile gracing her lips. A similar note was left on her own nightstand when she woke up. "He's getting arrangements made for when we decide to leave. He also thinks that being here could be dangerous for us. I don't think he's gone far though."

Bella rolled her eyes, plugging her earbuds into the walkman. "What makes you say that?"

Clarice smirked and set the note down behind her on the counter before grabbing one of the covered breakfast plates that Hannibal had most likely prepared before he left. She set down the warm food in front of Bella at the island. "He'll want to be around in case something goes wrong with the case or with our plans. Besides, he was more than happy to learn you were in the ballet. He will find a way to come watch you perform." She jutted her chin back to the walkman. "Now, what's going on there?"

"He left a tape for me." Bella sighed with a shrug. "I guess he probably didn't want to wake me last night."

Clarice smiled knowing exactly why Hannibal had decided to make a tape for Bella. "Just make sure that you keep that on you at all times. The last thing we need is for someone to listen to that and figure out that the doctor has been here and is your father. With Chet's comments to you yesterday, I'm guessing that those rumors aren't as dead as I was hoping."

Bella scoffed. "Like Chet's words could really compete against mine." She stabbed her fork into the cinnamon french toast on her plate. "The world will never know who my father is. When my kids go to put our family tree together, the paternal side will forever have to be blank."

"It will if you want to live a life away from the eyes of federal agents. If they find out you are his daughter, they will want your house wired and phones bugged. It wouldn't last forever, but you would always be under suspicion like I am." Clarice stated firmly. "Although there is no way for the feds here to get to you once we're in Europe. They can't charge you with crimes, because you haven't done anything wrong."

"Yes, but then you will be hunted by law enforcement." Bella sighed before moaning at the taste of the food from her plate. She quickly took another bite and spoke with food bouncing between her upper and lower jaw. "You'd be on the run all the time."

Clarice smirked. "I'll be on the run no matter what. I'll be with your father. We both know how to evade the police. He's an expert at it, and I know what they look for. Still, sending a revised birth certificate does not warrant anyone to charge me with anything. At best it would be withholding information from a case file. The fact that Hannibal is your father was not imperative to that night where your father cut open Paul Krendler's skull."

Bella stared back at her mother. "Except for the fact that it would look more like you were a coconspirator rather than a person forced to watch him with your injuries."

"I still stayed with the FBI for another eighteen years. I have pushed finding your father more than anyone else in the FBI. That case would be thrown out the window before it hit the director's desk." Clarice breathed with a shake of her head. "Funny how I'm seeing the truth when we're about to spin the biggest web of lies just to leave everything." She glanced back at the clock on the microwave before walking back towards the stairs. "Eat up. I'll meet you in the car in a few minutes."

Clarice jogged up the stairs and closed her bedroom door before pulling out the small black flip phone that had been left with her note. A burner phone with one number preprogrammed into it. With one click, she had the speaker pressed to her ear as the ringing pierced her eardrum.

"Miss me already, Clarice?"

"Always." Clarice smiled, biting her index finger between her teeth. "I have a request for you that might prove to be impossible."

Hannibal hummed softly. "A challenge I approve of. Tell me, Clarice. What is it you wish?"

"It's actually a request for your daughter. She would like history to show that you are her father." Clarice whispered. She could already see the smile on his face, showing the small white teeth that had frightened many. "A line on a birth certificate shouldn't stir too many feathers."

Hannibal's voice was smooth like velvet as he spoke. "And done in the right way, it could go under the radar for many years. I have a few favors in that area I plan on using before we leave anyway. I'll make the necessary arrangements and call on you when things are ready."

Clarice smirked, remembering the first phone call her and Hannibal had ever shared together. "You'll call on me, huh? I thought the world was more interesting with me in it. Planning on making me your famous dinner, Doctor?"

"Oh Clarice, I think the world will be fascinating with you by my side, and I plan to feast on you every chance I get." Hannibal nearly purred into the phone. Clarice flushed as a heat rolled through her body like thunder. "I must go. If I need to get a hold of you, I will use other means so you can hide the phone I gave you. I'd hate for someone to find it if you were to run into the wrong hands. But please, call me at any time."

"Will do. Good luck with your favors." Clarice smirked before grabbing her badge off her dresser and heading back out of her room. She moved to the bench in her foyer and opened the hidden compartment she kept some of Lecter's gifts from over the years hidden.

Hannibal nodded. "To you as well, Clarice."

* * *

Bella popped one of her earbuds into her ear and covered it with her hair so no one would notice. She had the cord hidden underneath the loose material of her sweater and the walkman was small enough to fit in her sweatpants pocket. Saying a quick goodbye to Clarice in the car, she stepped onto the curb and hit the play button.

There was a moment of static before the metallic voice of her father filled her right ear. "_Good morning, my little bird. As you already figured out, I have left to tend to some business before we start our lives over, but I will be around."_ Bella's eyes moved over the front lawn of the school. _"But, I won't be easily spotted, my dear. You won't see me, but you will know when I'm there. I promise."_

Bella pulled open the front door to the school and stepped inside before heading for her locker, watching the jocks slap each other with stupid remarks and the nerds standing in the corners with textbooks balancing in their sweaty palms. The cheerleaders crowded together to spread the latest gossip that was probably only ten percent true when the first person in their clique told it. The druggies stood in black sweatshirts and low riding jeans, and the aroma of weed surrounded them like a cloud that should've come with a warning sign.

_"Are you listening to this at school to keep me with you throughout the day? Your mother told me she used to play tapes of my voice to settle you to sleep for the night. Am I giving you the same calmness now, Bella? Is my voice your metaphorical security blanket? The thought intrigues me probably as much as it does you."_

"Bella!" Winnie's voice made Bella tear away from her father's voice. She quickly paused the walkman in her pocket, making it look like she was just clipping a pen to the lip of it. "You look adorable as always. I wish I could pull off the whole 'I look fab in drab' style. It just doesn't work with me."

Bella avoided rolling her eyes. Her friend meant it as a compliment after all. "What's up?"

"Rumor is Ray Thomas is throwing a party Friday night after the ballet performance. I think we should go." Winnie grinned with a wink. "He's a college boy now. Exactly what you're looking for. I heard he really wants you to be there and that's why he's throwing it after the performance. He probably wants to celebrate you in all the right ways."

Bella laughed at the ideas that Winnie was probably conjuring up in her head. All of them she was sure were purely dirty. "Ray and I are good friends. If he wanted me at his party, he can text me to invite me."

Winnie scoffed. "He probably wants you to crash it. C'mon, it would earn points too. Girls who don't follow the rules are automatic boner igniters." She wrapped her arm around Bella's as if being escorted through the halls. "Besides, you could stand to get laid. When was the last time? I bet it was the night before Joe left for college."

Bella cringed. Winnie was dead on with her assumption. Her relationship with Joe had lasted her entire junior year, his senior year. While they attempted to do the long distance relationship, it barely lasted a week before girls were posting pictures of him all over his social media pages. She knew he wouldn't cheat, but he deserved to live it up like every other college kid. Even if they had continued to date, they wouldn't have seen each other at all until Thanksgiving break. Another week and a half away. "I loved Joe for a year, Win."

"Yes, and you two were adorable." Winnie breathed as they reached their lockers. "But, that ended. Remember? Because, I remember coming over and stuffing my face with ice cream while watching Hoarders with you the night you called him to break up. C'mon! There's probably cobwebs growing up there at this point."

"You are disgusting." Bella chuckled as she opened her locker and pulled out her textbooks for the next two periods. "I'm not going to go around like there's a neon sign hanging over my vag."

Winnie smirked. "Not even if it says 'eat me'."

That broke the two into giggles. Bella playfully shoved Winnie away. "Go to your class before you get anymore bright ideas." She watched as her best friend hurried down the hall before reaching into her pocket and pressing the play button on the walkman again.

_"Your view on the world has most likely changed. Society has deemed your dear daddy a monster, but do you feel the same? Knowing I am capable of killing a man with my bare teeth? I assure you that you are capable of much the same. It may even cross your mind to do so in a situation where no other options are in your grasp. Does it scare you? Does it frighten you to think you are capable of consuming human flesh? I assure you that it is normal if it does. To be afraid of your own power is quite normal, but it shouldn't hinder you. Embrace it, my little bird. You will need that power going forward. In the end, it is all one has - their own power."_

_"You, however, have your mother and I. Not to sound like a cliche, but I'm curious as to how that makes you feel. I am confident that you pride yourself on being independent. Does it bother you that you allow yourself to rely on us as your parents? Your fate has ultimately remained in our hands all your life with our choices. We gave you the choice to choose your future going forward, and you picked the one that permits you from living freely wherever you wish to go. My expertise on living with a target fixated on your back, as well as your mother, will be the advise most valuable to you. It begs to question whether you feel you are as independent as you want to be."_

"I made the choice. I can live as freely as you do, Hannibal." Bella whispered to herself as she walked towards her first class. "And, you live with no barriers."

_"I'm sure you have your opinion. Perspective on the topic would warrant different outlooks of course."_

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	18. Chapter 18

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Bella sat with her teacher's notes from the board already scrawled onto her notebook. She was doodling on the margins as she listened to Hannibal's voice drown out the world around her. And damn, he did know her. His voice had calmed her enough to rely solely on herself as she studied the people around her. Legs bouncing, hands flying across paper, complete lack of attention to the board as some passed notes or discretely hid their phones behind the person in front of them.

"_I am curious as to how you perceive the world around you. For seventeen, you are more mature than the average person your age. When you walk through the halls, do you find yourself drawn to a certain crowd or do you walk the halls in subtle observation? I, myself, was of the latter. To associate with a clique would also attach a label to myself, and that is never my intention. I believe the saying is the walk of the lone wolf. Do you feel as though you are a lone wolf in your own environment, Bella? That outside of your mother and I, no one else knows the true you? It's a rather eye-opening discovery, isn't it?"_

Bella cast a glance up to her teacher, seeing that he was still in mid-rant, something that often happened during his lectures. What should be a three day chapter to study often ended up as five because of his lack of filter on the topics being discussed. Most days, it was rather amusing, and it made the weekend homework nonexistent. Now, the wayward spouting of unrelated topics seemed like a total waste of time. Twenty minutes of her life just today that she would never get back because Mr. Kenzie had a beef over the equations of physics and his potential to be a great scientist when everyone knew that potential was minimal at best.

_"And, the real you. . .I imagine you are still discovering her. Fun, isn't it? Testing your limits and trying new and exciting things helps guide you into figuring out who you want to be as a person compared to who you actually are. Who do you want to be, Bella?"_

Bella sighed and closed her eyes. At the moment, she didn't want to be Mr. Kenzie.

* * *

Clarice sat in the dark basement, pen between her front teeth, as she went over the case file again with Lecter's notes in her lap. He had purposely thrown off his handwriting so analysis wouldn't bring him up if the file was ever tested. She was glancing through the pages when she heard clicking of heels. "Ardelia, please tell me you have coffee."

"Piping hot coffee." Ardelia smiled as she sat down next to Clarice with the evidence surrounding them. "Chuck says hi."

"Tell Chuck I say hi as well." Clarice hummed as she took the cup of coffee. "How is that husband of yours anyway? I haven't seen him since our last dinner at your place."

Ardelia shrugged as she sipped at her own coffee. "He's busy at work. Might as well be. I've barely been home to enjoy anything remotely homey since this case came in." She sighed looking back at the file. She noticed the legal pad in her friend's lap. "You made progress over the weekend."

Clarice smirked. She had help. "Yes, and I was half asleep, so I'm just looking back over the notes." She couldn't make her and Hannibal's discovery on her own. She needed Ardelia to make it for the FBI. "I could hardly look at the files of the younger girls. Every photo just made me think of Bella. Took everything in me not to burn them."

"Especially the first girl. She was the youngest." Ardelia breathed. "I can't stand either of them. The young victims remind me of Bella, and the older victims remind me of you. Some of them could be your twin, girl."

Clarice waited, casting brief glances to her friend's face before taking a moment to look back at the file.

Then, her eyes widened with a gasp on her lips. "What if they're targeting you?"

"Me? There's no evidence of that. None of the victims knew me or were related to me. The same goes for Bella." Clarice stated, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands over her stomach. "What makes you think that?"

Ardelia pulled out a few of the victim pictures. "Clarice, look at these. It can't just be a coincidence that the killer is targeting two types of women who are mother and daughter. These women led lives like you and Bella too. Single mothers, workaholics, straight-A students. It's a profile of the perfect victim for this guy." She slapped a photo down of one of the victims that resembled Clarice and pointed to bloodied and mangled skull. "These women were scalped. Could it possibly be a message from Lecter?"

Now, we're off the tracks.

Clarice sat upright, eyes wide. "Lecter? Delia, you can't be serious. Lecter eats his victims. He wouldn't stoop as low as to use a beer can. It would make him appear less of a gentleman to even hold a beer can. I'll give you the scalping thing, but Lecter doesn't even know about Bella. He's not a sexual predator either, and the victims who look like Bella died when their killer shoved a sharp beer can edge inside them."

"Who else knows about the scalping thing? Paul has the scar, but the details of what happened that night weren't released to the media because of his pride to be the macho man." Ardelia questioned. "That would only leave Paul's family and FBI agents who were in our unit at that time."

Clarice bit her lip, pretending to be lost in thought. She could only lead so far before it was out of her hands. Hopefully, Ardelia wouldn't jump off the tracks again like she did thinking Hannibal Lecter would come back just to carve up the women of D.C. to mess with her. Even if Delia didn't work with Lecter, she knew his profile. He was a straight shooter, and he knew all of his victims at some level.

Ardelia pulled out the victims' pictures of the younger girls. They looked mauled from the belly down to the knees. "It would have to be someone with an axe against Bella too. That's a lot of rage for someone not to have a problem on a personal level with her."

"The only person she's ever complained about is Chet Krendler." Clarice breathed, meeting her friend's eyes. "He's been trying to put moves on her since they were five. He tried to kiss her during nap time and she kicked him where it hurt most."

"This is a big accusation, Clarice." Ardelia whispered, her eyes wide as she looked over the files. "We can't just go with this like with any other suspect. Paul has a personal beef with you. If we go after him without hard evidence, he won't stop until you lose this job."

Clarice exhaled slowly. "I know." Honestly, Paul and Chet made the most sense, but something was still tugging her away from them. Something just wasn't adding up. Paul and Chet both had made sexual innuendos about getting into her and Bella's pants. Neither set of the victims were sexually assaulted other than the beer can. On the victims that looked like her, there was no sign of sexual motivation on them. She didn't know how sick the Krendler's were, but she wouldn't put rape past them. She was sure there were a number of women out there who had fallen victim to the two.

Ardelia bit her lip. "If I investigate this avenue, I have to recommend that you be removed from the case, Clarice."

"If that's what you have to do, I'm okay with that." Clarice whispered. "You'll keep me updated though, right?"

Ardelia closed the file. "I'll go make copies for you now."

* * *

Hannibal adjusted the hat on his head before he walked into the small flower shop on a corner lot. He walked over to the counter with a small box in his hand. A woman in her late fifties stood with a polite smile of ruby red lips. She wore an animal print dress that was tied closed with a knot just over her right hip and a neckline that was much too deep to be considered ladylike. "Hello, how can I help you?"

"Hello," Hannibal smiled, masking his accent with a southern drawl he picked up from listening to Clarice. "I was hoping to send some roses to my daughter this Friday along with this small box." He placed the item on the table and opened it, showing her the four horse chariot jewelry box. "She has a ballet performance Friday night, and I'm afraid I'll miss it."

The woman beamed. "Of course, we can help you with that. What color roses would you like to send? I would recommend pink if they are for your daughter."

Hannibal nodded. "Alright. Let's do six pink and six white."

"Excellent." She smiled before pulling out a cardstock paper the size of a postcard. "Here's the card if you'd like to write something to her. Will this be cash or credit?"

Hannibal pulled out his wallet and flashed a smile. "Cash, please."

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	19. Chapter 19

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Bella sat on the stage floor and stretched as the team waited for Coach Pellagrim to show up from his classroom. She hadn't bothered to change for this practice. "_I wish I could sit in the crowd and watch you dance like every other father. The one practice I saw left me anticipating your performance Friday night. Although, it also left me with a rather gnawing feeling towards your coach. Is he good? I don't know him well enough, but he seemed rather taken with you. A big no-no for him unless you enjoy it. Do you enjoy his small gestures and advances? Offering you privileges and private practices? Or does it make your skin crawl as much as the young Krendler seems to do?"_

The loud metal clang alerted the team that Pellagrim had arrived through the large back doors. He jogged up the middle isle in slacks and a button down pinstripe. Overall, he wasn't a bad looking guy, but he was closer to Hannibal's age than Clarice's. He had small wrinkles around his eyes and his once brown hair was now a somewhat sophisticated salt and pepper combination. Despite his years of dance keeping him in shape, Bella wanted his advances as much as she wanted to stay in the country.

Pellagrim hopped up onto the stage and winked at Bella. "Are you ready? I bet the nerves are setting in."

"More excited than nervous." Bella forced a small smile before standing up. She refused to flinch when he rested his hand on her shoulder and addressed the rest of the team about how much practice they all needed.

"_Growing up without a father until this point, one might assume that you have daddy issues. You could be looking for a father figure in the man you choose to spend your life with. I know of at least one woman."_

Bella rolled her eyes with a smirk. Daddy issues? Really? Am I that cliche? I don't think so. I'm not looking for a daddy to fuck me before tucking me in at night.

"_I don't hold judgement, my little bird. But know that any man that you allow to be in your life has to get by me, and I don't think anyone will ever be good enough for you."_

Now who's the cliche?

Bella slipped her hand into her pocket and paused the tape before Pellagrim sat at the piano and played the opening notes to her first dance.

* * *

Hannibal, shorts and black tank, jogged along the known paths of the park with his sunglasses blocking his eyes. The wispy blond hair of his wig was pulled back into a bun, and he ached for the moment he could take the bloody thing off. It was his third loop around the park, passing the second crime scene of the beer can killer case. The place was easy to spot with the number of candles, photos, and memorabilia huddled at the base of the tree next to the place the woman's body was found.

It wasn't a secluded space. A few bushes, but the body would've been found relatively quickly. The killer had to be fast about it. The report figured the woman was killed between seven and seven fifteen that morning. A jogger passed by the spot at seven and took a small break to catch his breath by the tree before continuing. The next jogger put in the 9-1-1 call at seven eighteen to report the woman dead.

It was precise. The killer had to know this woman's schedule since she was targeted for resembling Clarice. They didn't bother to conceal the crime at all. With the injuries leading to death at the woman's torso, the killer had to have a significant amount of blood on him. If there were joggers that close together, the killer would have to ensure the woman's silence. No evidence of drugs or chloroform.

Hannibal briefly reflected on the autopsy findings. His hand moved across his chest horizontally. The beer can pierced through the skin and collapsed one lung before moving across and puncturing the other one. The woman's chance to scream would've been for a brief second if the killer didn't cover her mouth. Either way, the killer knew the weakness of a human body. They knew compromising the lungs would allow for a silent kill. Once the slice across the lungs was complete, another was added down the torso, creating a lopsided 'T'. It nearly disemboweled the victims.

Whoever the killer was, Hannibal was now certain he was the target.

The killer knew Bella was his daughter, explaining the uterine and vagina trauma to the younger victims. The killer probably thought that's how he ruined Clarice in a way. The scalping was Paul Krendler, obviously. The lacerations across the stomach, near disembowelment - that was Will Graham.

Gaining a new spout of energy, Hannibal picked up the pace and headed back towards the park entrance he arrived through, leaving behind the crime scene, memorial, and the Beer Can Killer claiming his next victim.

* * *

Bella hopped off the stage, more than happy to see Clarice walk into the auditorium to pick her up. She welcomed the hug from her mother with open arms. "Please tell me you picked up dinner on the way over."

Clarice chuckled. "Greasy cheeseburgers and fries with chocolate milkshakes are in the car." She kissed Bella's head before they turned to walk out. "We probably won't have many of those where we are going."

"He would never approve of that." Bella chuckled before putting a hand over her pocket, assuring herself that the walkman was still there. "Have you heard anything? News broke of the new victim just before practice started."

Clarice shook her head. "We're working on it, honey. It'll take some time. Meanwhile, I just got done talking with your principal. She has agreed to give you your diploma before Christmas break. She's going to talk with the teachers and make sure that they give you all your assignments for the semester."

Bella grinned. "Good. Then, it's official."

"It's official." Clarice nodded before she saw Chet Krendler standing by Bella's locker. When he saw Clarice, he physically deflated and picked up his bag before walking past them to exit the school out one of the other exits. "You weren't kidding about the locker thing."

"I've been grabbing all my things before practice so I can avoid going there and running into him." Bella nodded. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing no one else in the hallway. "Did you really play tapes of his voice when I was younger to get me to go to sleep?"

Clarice smiled as her eyes landed on the bulge in her daughter's pants pocket. Shoving her own hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, she nodded. "I did. I played them when I was pregnant with you too. You knew his voice as well as you knew mine. I made sure of that." She watched Bella smile out of her peripheral. "What else did he tell you on that tape?"

Bella shrugged. "I'm not even halfway through the whole thing. Mostly, he just asked questions that made me do a lot of self reflection, self discovery." She rolled her eyes. "But, I don't have daddy issues."

"Yes, that would be me." Clarice chuckled, fully aware of her own outlooks on life because of her experiences with her parents. Hannibal had brought them to her attention twenty-five years ago, and she dealt with them before Bella came into the picture. She embraced them now and owned them. "And no, you do not." The two laughed as they left through the front door of the school.

* * *

Bella sat with Clarice in their dark living room, the TV the only illumination casting shadows over their bodies. The news was reporting the newest victim of the Beer Can Killer, this one a red head lawyer. She and Clarice had caught the story the first time when they arrived home ready for fast food and binge watching a favorite sitcom. After the initial shock of reality ended, Clarice talked on the phone with Ardelia before she returned to the couch with Bella.

Now, Bella stared up at the screen with Clarice asleep on her shoulder. A bowl of half eaten popcorn sat between them and their blanket covered laps. The walkman rested in hers, the gears of the tape moving inside.

_"What is your greatest fear, my little bird? Is it dying? Living the way you do for the rest of your life? Being a sham? Or could it be something as simple as a spider hanging down from the __shower head? I suppose you are a bright girl. Your fears would run as deep as mine, as deep as Clarice's."_

_"I'll indulge you with my worst fear. It's not something I tell to just anyone, so I hope you keep it between you and me. What I fear most in this world is losing you and your mother. If you were to choose to stay in America, I would be happy with that. I could watch over you and Clarice. No, what I fear is watching the two of you die before my eyes. I told you of my sister, and, although I didn't watch her die, I felt her fear when her hand was torn from mine by the savages who claimed her."_

_"I won't allow the same thing to happen to you or your mother. I will never let anyone rip you from my grasp. If that time comes, and I pray it does not, I will turn into the man that has been deemed a monster. Hannibal the Cannibal, though I loathe that name. I wasn't lying when I said I would kill for you, Bella. I know your mother would do the same if the situation dictated."_

_"I suppose that I have filled your head with enough thoughts for now. Kiss your mother for me. With love my little bird, goodnight."_

Bella waited until the static stopped and the tape clicked in the walkman. She smiled and teared up, feeling a calmness she thought she had lost from childhood take over. Feeling like it wasn't just her and Clarice alone in the world anymore. Kissing Clarice's head, she closed her eyes and settled further into the couch cushions. "Goodnight, Hannibal."

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	20. Chapter 20

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Hannibal stood in the darkened phone booth that probably hadn't been used in years by the enormous presence of cobwebs. He was half surprised that the phone was still in service. Even with the early morning sunlight peering up over the horizon, the phone booth was stashed between two large brick buildings in a neighborhood that probably only went to sleep two hours earlier.

The perfect place to make small phone call without worrying about unwanted attention.

"Hello Operator, I was hoping you could wire me to a William Graham. He's a close friend of mine, and I seem to have lost his number." Hannibal's practiced Virginia accent was coming in handy. When the operator told him to hold one moment, he leaned back against the booth. "Thank you."

It didn't take long for a drowsy feminine voice to answer the phone. "Hello?"

"I'm sorry to call at this early hour. Is this Mrs. Graham?" Hannibal asked, his eyes gazing over the street.

"This is she." Molly Graham.

Hannibal smiled. "I am actually looking for Mr. Graham. I'm with the FBI, and we are having a reunion of sorts between Jack Crawford's closest friends and family. I was informed that Mr. Jack Crawford and your husband were very close when they worked together."

Molly's voice seemed to relax, almost as if it had been calmed down from a high ledge. "Thank God." Hannibal didn't have the chance to ask her why she said those words before she spoke again. "Sorry, I thought you were calling for bad news. I'm sure he would be happy to go, and it couldn't be at a better time. He's been in Virginia since September to finish some business with a few friends."

"Well, aren't we in luck." Hannibal droned. "Would you happen to have a cell phone number I could reach him at and let him know of the party?"

"Do you have a pen and paper on you?"

* * *

Stiff. That's what Clarice felt before her eyes even opened. She heard the TV, volume low. Her left side was much warmer than her right, and a pressure rested on top of her tilted head. Her arms had goosebumps, but her legs were covered. Instead of laying down, she was slumped in a sitting position that was sure to wreck havoc on her back for the day.

Then breathing. Not just hers, and she knew that other inhale and exhale of breath better than any other sound in the world.

She opened her eyes to find herself on her living room couch. The bowl of popcorn that had rested between her and Bella was tilted slightly, some of the kernels spread on her blanket. The TV played some reality cop show on a chase after someone who wouldn't pull over on the backroads of Alabama. She looked over at Bella. The walkman sat idle in her lap with the earbuds, made in an entirely different century, stuck out of her ears.

It was just starting to break daylight outside, four-thirty or five at the earliest. A few hours in her bed would hopefully ease her spine part of the day. Carefully detangling herself from Bella, she maneuvered her daughter to lay down on the couch. Using the TV as her light source, she eased the earbuds out of her ears and pulled the blanket up to Bella's shoulders. She set the walkman on the coffee table, knowing Bella would look for it once she woke up.

"Even as a teenager, your dad's voice puts you to sleep." Clarice whispered before kissing Bella's head. She turned off the television, double-checked the locks on the doors, and headed upstairs to her room.

Looking at the thick white comforter, she could feel the bed calling for her, but there was another object that seemed to beckon with a stronger sense of urgency. Opening her closet door, she grabbed the box she hadn't touched for eighteen years until yesterday when she needed a place to hide the burner phone Hannibal had given her. John Brigham's belongings sat collecting dust in the old paper package box: his badge, his gun, his FBI credentials, and a few things from his desk. With them, the small black burner phone sat.

She grabbed the device and hit call without even looking at it. There wasn't even time for her to hear the ring before the other end answered, pressed to her ear. "Good morning, Clarice."

"Good morning, Hannibal." Clarice smiled, moving to her bathroom to ready herself for the day. Maybe a long hot shower would ease the stiffness in her muscles. "I have a feeling you have news for me."

"I do actually. I believe you are beginning to develop your sixth sense, my lamb." Hannibal grinned as he sat in a rather large armchair in a bed and breakfast just outside of the city, hidden in deep trails of trees and wildlife. "Before we get into the case though, do tell me where you hid the phone I gave you."

Clarice glanced at herself in the mirror. Her red hair was slightly messy, stray hairs almost creating a thin barrier over the way she usually styled herself. The makeup she had used to cover up one of Hannibal's love bites was now gone and exposed the purple flesh between her neck and shoulder. There was a slight soreness to it, but it gave Clarice more pleasure to know it was there. "I put it in a box of an old friend's belongings. You remember John."

Hannibal briefly recalled the man who had trained his Clarice's excellent gun handling. "I do. What are you doing with a box of his things?"

"We were close." Clarice stated before reaching into the shower and turning the knobs for warm water. "He asked me a question once, and I said no. We remained friends."

"Ah, _that_ big question. My, my Clarice. I had no idea you were that close to being an FBI woman in every sense of the word." Hannibal's voice turned metallic in a second. "Tell me, why did you say no?"

Clarice sat down on the toilet seat lid and closed her eyes. "We were never lovers, and he wasn't the one I was thinking about every day." She bit her lip when she heard his sharp exhale, but no words. "You can't tell me you went all these years we've known each other without a few partners."

Hannibal focused on a red-tailed hawk that had landed on the balcony railing outside his room. It peered around the forest with wide eyes as it ruffled its feathers. "I've had companions of sorts, never someone to refer to as a partner. Certainly not one that would request such a big commitment."

"And, me?" Clarice questioned, bringing her foot up to rest on the edge of the seat. She let her smile press into the knee against her chest.

Hannibal smiled. Bold this morning, aren't we? "If I were to ask anyone that question, it would be you. I'm curious as to what your reaction would be."

Clarice let a chuckle slip past her lips, the steam from the shower now heating her skin in another way than his words did. "I've already agreed to spend my life with you, Hannibal. Ring or no ring, I'm yours."

"As I am yours." Hannibal breathed. He could hear the shower water pelting down and didn't want to waste her water despite his enjoyment of the conversation. "I need you to track a number for me. It's a cell."

"Whose number is it?" Clarice asked as she padded back to her bedroom and grabbed the pen and paper she kept on her nightstand.

Hannibal sighed. "Will Graham's." He could all but see the surprise cross over her features. "I think your killer is after me. Whoever they are, they know Bella is my daughter. The skull lacerations to the victims are copycat actions of Paul Krendler. The gutting is Will Graham. What a mess that created at the time. Not my finest moment handling myself. The demolition of the female reproductive system has to be symbolic of you in some way. Our killer must think that having Bella is what left you a survivor of my actions. This can't be the Krendlers. If it is, they aren't doing it alone."

Clarice's shock went unnoticed by Hannibal when he mentioned the link to her. "I think I might know why."

"Why what?" Hannibal frowned.

Clarice gulped. "Uh, the shredded reproductive systems of the younger women is me." She bit her lip. This was something she had never told anyone. Only she and a few other people knew about it. The only evidence of it rested in her medical file. "When I was eight and a half months pregnant, Delia and I were getting things for Bella's nursery. As we were headed back out to her car, somebody in a hoodie and jeans came up and stabbed me, stabbed at Bella." She closed her eyes, resting a hand over the scar that Hannibal had kissed a few days earlier.

He loved her battle scars, because they were much like his. He had no idea though that the scar on her right side had nothing to do with her job. "He ran off, and Delia stayed with me to keep me from passing out. I got to the hospital quick, but the damage was done. I couldn't take much due to pregnancy, and I wouldn't allow them to prescribe me anything that could be harmful to Bella."

"The wound became infected and nearly killed Bella and I before they forced me to deliver her a week later." Clarice admitted. "The person who stabbed me was never caught, and the infection left me without the ability to conceive again."

Hannibal gripped the armrest of his chair with white knuckles, focusing his energy on not crushing the phone pressed to his ear. His breath was shallow and ragged as if allowing his lungs to completely fill would allow the rage to escape on his relief of a proper exhale. "I almost lost both of you then." The brief flare of his nose and clench of his jaw were the only outward signs of his internal struggle. "He said something to you, didn't he? When that person stabbed you, he said something to you."

Clarice glanced back into the bathroom. She couldn't see her reflection anymore with the steam clouding the mirror over the sink. "He said, 'Lecter will not live on.'" She waited for his response, but it never came. "Hannibal, please say something."

"Take down this number." Hannibal backtracked, avoiding her plead to address the topic further.

"Hannibal-"

"Clarice, take down this number." Hannibal nearly growled out.

Clarice refused to let him hear how upset she was. She silently took the number and hung up before he could say anymore. On the same paper, she wrote down the number to the burner phone Hannibal had given to himself and retreated back to her bathroom. She nearly ripped the clothes off of her and only hesitated for a moment when she heard her phone ring before stepping under the hot water.

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	21. Chapter 21

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Bella glanced between the road and her mother. Since she woke up this morning, Clarice had a tension around her that Bella could only predict was caused by Hannibal. She had clearly been crying, but that emotion was now channeled into rage with her many faces. One second, she was turning red, gripping the steering wheel like it was somebody's neck. Next, she was smirking, nodding to herself. This level of rage she had only seen when her mother was dealing with the one and only Hannibal Lecter.

She hadn't dare spoken a word, but the school was coming up fast with the lead foot her mother seemed to have this morning. "Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Clarice stated with a little too much enthusiasm. She cleared her throat as if she had lost her voice for a second. "Sorry, I'm fine. Just excited to get to work this morning. Busy, busy day ahead of me."

Bella bit her lip. "You look like you're ready to murder someone. I'm assuming it's Hannibal."

Clarice bit her tongue. Her daughter was the only one she could vent to without stirring trouble, but she didn't want to be one of those parents who bad-mouthed the other parent to their kids. She had seen it happen too many times, and she knew Hannibal would never speak ill of her in any fashion, especially in front of Bella. "He and I just got into a little argument. It's no big deal. We'll work it out."

"Well, I know that. I just don't want to come home to find that you guys fight with teeth." Bella shuddered before furrowing her eyebrows. "How did you talk to him anyway? He wasn't at the house last night, was he?"

"No, he left me a phone for me to use so we could talk about the case. He left you those tapes so you could form your own thoughts without him replying to you immediately." Clarice explained. She knew he wanted Bella to think hard about this move. Even if she chose what they really wanted her to choose, she was still young and just met her father who she wanted to be with now that she knew him. Distance would allow for her to think through what she wanted out of life instead of what she wanted at the moment. That thought had scared both of them.

Bella's jaw dropped. "What? I want to talk to him. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him when he left." She crossed her arms over her chest and slouched back into her seat. "Barely know him and I miss him."

Clarice smiled and reached over, caressing her daughter's cheek. "I know. I miss him too. Look, for now, this is for the best. What he does always has a reason behind it." She glanced over, smirking when she noticed that Bella was pouting over not getting to talk to Hannibal. "You'll get to see him before you know it. I know he'll be at your performance Friday night. He wouldn't miss that for the world."

"He better not. It's my last one." Bella grumbled before Clarice pulled up to the school. She sighed looking out at all the teenagers she should be thriving among. High school was the time people always talked about when they got older. Right now, Bella wanted to forget this place. "I feel like I'm stepping into another world once I get out of this car. I really hate it."

"What do you hate about it?" Clarice asked softly, tucking Bella's hair behind her ear.

"My life in there is fake." Bella confessed with a shrug. She looked over and finally met Clarice's eyes. "I look at these kids that I've known most of my life, some of them are ones I should be hanging out with on the weekends or going to parties with. I feel trapped here, Mom."

Clarice leaned over and hugged Bella to her chest, kissing her temple. "I know the feeling well." She glanced towards the school, seeing more and more students file inside to start another day of classes. She quickly pulled away but cupped Bella's face in her hands. "I get that it's hard, and that it can be painful. Just a little while longer. I'll talk to your father and see what he thinks about you maybe talking to him over the phone. We still have some things to sort out."

"Without teeth, right?" Bella asked with raised eyebrows.

Clarice rolled her eyes. "If we fought like that, neither one of us would be standing." She grabbed Bella's bag from the backseat and handed it to her. "Now, get going before you're late. That's the last thing we need after nearly forcing your principal to give you early graduation."

* * *

Hannibal sat on the bed in his room, staring intently at the burner phone linking him to Clarice. He was rather shocked when she abruptly hung up on him, but he knew she also wouldn't put up with his yelling at her and shutting down when she shared such a large piece of history she had wanted to keep buried long ago. A piece of history that was probably more painful for her to remember than she would admit. And, what a piece of history it was.

One moment in a parking lot could've cost him two irreplaceable lives. He knew Clarice's job was dangerous, and he would never take that away from her. But, this wasn't the job. She was a pregnant woman in a parking lot shopping for her unborn child. She was just another civilian at that point. Meanwhile, he was across the world enjoying his freedom and most likely too immersed in trying to conceal himself to really pay attention to Clarice's movements at the time.

He had always kept watch over his lamb, but he wasn't even aware she had a child. If he had come back and the attacker's knife did what it was supposed to do, would Clarice have told him of the child they lost? Would she still want to be with him? The question circled his mind much like a dog chasing its tail. The attack could've left Clarice resenting him for having risked her life and their child's before birth. She could've given the child up to a family where no one could trace that the child was from the blood of Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter. Then again, she knew that he would never hurt her intentionally, and she prided herself on having the skills to protect.

Those same skills that Hannibal prided himself on. As much as he used his skills to destroy, they were equally capable of protecting those he held dear. Yet, he could not protect Clarice and Bella from a knife. He could not protect them from infection and near death. He could not protect them by just being there. His presence would have only brought more trouble at the time, and the last thing those two needed was more stress.

The thought, though, that someone dare try to harm his family was enough to make his blood boil. His stomach curled in a hunger that could only be sated when his hands landed on the culprit behind all of this. He could already smell the copper waft up his nostrils. He had once lost his entire family, but he would not let it happen again. He had Clarice, a woman he'd been fascinated with for twenty-five years, and Bella, the daughter he didn't think he'd ever have. This Beer Can Killer was trying to take everything from him, but he wouldn't get away with it.

* * *

Clarice jogged into the basement offices and sat down at the corner computer, facing the back wall and hiding from the eyes of the other agents around her. The screen was quick to spark to life and highlight her face in the dark as her fingers bounced off the keyboard. She managed to bring up her phone tracking software when Ardelia hurried over. "Hey girl, I want to run something by you. Pick your brain a little bit." They both looked up when a throat was cleared. At the other end of the room, Paul Krendler stood glaring at them. "Sorry, Paul."

"What is he even doing here anyway?" Clarice huffed in a breath. "He doesn't work here."

"He's PR. As soon as the Beer Can Killer was named, he was brought in." Ardelia rolled her eyes before handing Clarice the paper that she had brought over. "I know you said that you didn't think Doctor Lecter was involved, but I really think it's a route I need to follow up on."

Clarice fought the urge to defend him. She glanced back at her computer and jotted down the information she needed to give herself a second. She didn't need to spill everything over one comment. Delia, after all, had no clue who the real Hannibal was. No one did, and it reminded Clarice how much she wanted Christmas to come. "If you really feel like it's something you need to do, I can't stop you. But, I have known the guy for twenty-five years. I know he isn't killing these women in spite of me or Bella."

Delia frowned. "How do you know that? How do you know that he won't come after you someday? Why are you so certain that he won't kill you when given the chance?"

"If he wanted to kill me, he would've done it long ago." Clarice closed out the software and turned off the computer before standing. "He saved me while I was trying to save him. I get that you feel he's involved in some way. When it comes to me, everyone thinks he's involved in some way. But, I'm telling you straight up that he doesn't have a vendetta against me."

Ardelia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Clarice, I love you, but the reason people think you have a thing for Lecter, why they believe he is Bella's father, is because you say things like that. I don't know if it's because he was your first assignment or he got into your head, but you can't give him the benefit of the doubt. He kills and consumes people. If anything, you should be _more_ worried he would come after you. You'd be his top prize."

Clarice shoved the paper with the two numbers on it back in her pocket. "His victims were never prizes. Read his file. He killed people who were rude or had no use. People who threatened his lifestyle. Killing me would make him the rude one, and I know I've told you that before." She went to step around Delia and leave, but she turned back on her heel. "As for people thinking Lecter is Bella's father, I don't give a shit what they think. They also thought Paul was her father at one point until he started mouthing off about Chet and Bella eventually getting together."

Ardelia studied her friend for a moment, running the tip of her tongue over her front teeth before glancing down at the space between them. "I'm your friend here, Clarice, but you've never told me who Bella's father is."

"Are you seriously asking me if Hannibal Lecter is her father?" Clarice challenged. It was a gamble, and she wouldn't lie. Other than this disagreement, she never gave Delia a reason to question her. Even this difference of opinion, Delia knew that Clarice knew Hannibal better than anybody. Well, other than Barney for everything Delia didn't know. "Are you really going to ask me, Dee?"

"Do I need to?" The question was barely a whisper, and Clarice felt the words more than heard them.

Clarice clenched her jaw, but she didn't shy away. She held Delia's hard gaze. "If you want to ask, ask."

"Starling!"

Never thought she would thank God for Paul Krendler's presence. "What, Krendler?"

Paul motioned to the stairs. "You aren't on this case anymore. I don't want to find you down here."

"This basement is for use of every FBI agent. I was just leaving anyway." Clarice reminded him before looking back at Ardelia and raising her eyebrows, daring her to ask her in a way. Hannibal had taught her more than just how to be a good investigator. His master manipulation over her in their early days allowed her to hone her skills. "Are we done or should I grab a DNA test kit from upstairs?"

"I didn't want to upset you-" Delia started to explain, but Clarice cut her off again.

"And, forget about Bella's ballet performance Friday night. I'm sure you and Chuck could find something better than to come watch Hannibal's Little Cannibal." Clarice added, knowing the nickname some of her colleagues had dubbed on her infant daughter when she was first born. It had faded after a few years, but had stayed with Krendler when Bella had bitten his finger during his attempt to pick her up and return her to Clarice in the office.

Not wanting to hear another word from Ardelia or Paul, Clarice walked back upstairs, grabbed her case file from her desk, and hurried back out to her car. Glancing back down at the address she jotted down, she pulled out of her parking space and nearly punched the pedal down to the floor.

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	22. Chapter 22

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"Earth to Starling." Chet's voice filled her ears before she felt a pencil press into the center of her forehead.

Bella shook her head before looking up and seeing Chet sitting across from her at their lab table. He had his pencil in his hand, ready to poke her again. Her eyes had been trained on their homework, but she didn't have a clue as to what it was about.

Chet rolled his eyes at her. "I get you don't like me, but we are lab partners here. You can at least participate in our homework together." He looked down at their homework and sighed. "Although my offer would be a lot more fun than this."

"Stop thinking with the head in your pants, Krendler." Bella scoffed before she finally read the first question. He covered his chest with both hands, pretending to be heartbroken. She rolled her eyes, but it didn't stop the smirk the spread across her lips. "You are persistent. I will give you that."

"I won't give up. You may not think we'll ever get together, but our lives were destined to be together." Chet declared, pointing between them to emphasis his point. "One way or another, you and I will be together."

Bella chuckled. "Lives destined to be together? Here I thought you only wanted to get down my pants."

Chet grinned, a blush flooding his cheeks. "That too."

Bella wrote down an answer on her paper, pointing out the paragraph with the answer to Chet in his textbook. "Even if I didn't think you were a complete asshole, I don't think we could ever be together." She saw the question on Chet's face before he asked it. "Your father tried to destroy my mother's career. The only reason he evaded prison was because he was a victim of Lecter, which my mother had to witness. Then, let's not forget that you basically threatened to rape me in the mall the other day."

"It's not rape if you would enjoy it." Chet stated with a smirk.

Bella felt her skin tingle in goosebumps, and they weren't the pleasant kind. "If I say no and you continue, it's rape, Chet."

"If I make you cum, it's not rape." Chet whispered before the bell rang, signaling the end of class. He walked up beside her and rested his hand on her thigh, leaning down to her ear. ""You'll be a challenge until the very end." His wink made Bella feel physically ill. "See you later, Starling."

Bella's eyes widened. Her stomach dropped when his hand slipped from her leg. As he left, she quickly gathered her things and pulled out her cell phone. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick the fuck up." She whispered, willing herself not to react.

* * *

Clarice pulled onto the freeway when she heard her phone ringing in the cup holder between the passenger seat and hers. Without looking down, she grabbed the phone and pressed it against her ear. "Starling."

"Mom, it's me." Bella's voice sounded stressed, and there were tons of voices in the background.

"Bella," Clarice frowned, knowing that a call from her daughter when she was at school was rare, "honey, what's wrong?"

Bella glanced around the hallway, glad to not see Chet nearby. "You're still picking me up after practice, right?"

Clarice glanced at the clock on her car radio. "Yeah, I was going to come by practice early. I don't want you walking through the school alone when Chet is hanging around." She looked over her shoulder before merging into the next lane. "What happened? Did he do something?"

"Um," Bella contemplated telling her mother what had happened, but she knew that, at this point, she would scare Clarice more saying nothing happened than telling her. "I think he really plans on coming after me. We were partnered for homework today, and he told me that it isn't considered rape if I enjoy it. Told me I'd be a challenge for him." She reached her locker and started spinning the padlock dial. "I'm okay. I just want to make sure you're here when practice is over."

"I'll be there." Clarice reassured her. "Don't worry. Just watch your six at all times. Do you have more classes with him today?"

Bella opened her locker and shoved her things inside. "Only one right after lunch. All his buddies are with him in that class though. He usually doesn't come near me." She bit her lip as she grabbed her textbooks. "I guess I'll know his intentions if he decides to pay attention to me."

Clarice huffed out a breath through gritted teeth. "If he tries to do anything, you call me and go to the principal's office. I will come and get you." She saw the exit she needed to take up ahead and looked over her other shoulder before merging back over into the right lane. "And, I mean anything, baby. I don't care what the reason is."

"Okay," Bella breathed before closing her locker, "I gotta go to class. Talk to you later."

"Love you, Bella." Clarice smiled softly before hanging up. With a slight tremble to her hand, she placed the phone back down in the cup holder and slammed the same hand down on the dashboard as she pulled into the exit lane.

* * *

Hannibal stepped out of the shower with a towel around his waist. He took a quick glance in the mirror before stepping out of the bathroom and walking across the small hallway to his given room. The bed and breakfast was empty in the middle of the day other than the owner downstairs who never seemed to leave the front of house area. When his hand wrapped around the doorknob, he paused. The air was different, and he knew why the second he smelled the familiar shampoo and rarely used perfume.

With a simple push, he saw the sight that always excited him. Clarice Starling. She sat in the armchair he had occupied during their phone conversation that morning. Instead of her usual pant suit she wore to work, she was in a black pencil skirt with matching blazer jacket. A simple pink silk blouse beneath that. Her auburn hair was down, slightly tousled, and her eyes sparkled. With black heels to tie the outfit together, Hannibal felt his excitement build with a shred of anxiety of the unknown.

She was a dangerous woman when she was mad.

And boy, he gave her a reason to be mad that morning when he completely cut her off.

"Clarice." He greeted, his tone much the same as it was when they first met.

Clarice smirked, crossing one leg over the other. Hannibal's eyes raked over the slight bulge in leg muscle. She was a queen on her thrown, relaxed back with arms on either armrest. Then, she greeted him as only a true queen would. "Doctor Lecter."

He walked into the room far enough to close the door behind him, twisting the lock into place. He glanced around the room once. Nothing was out of place, but a thin file rested on his nightstand that hadn't been there when he left to take a shower. When his eyes landed back on Clarice, he motioned to his bag. "Before we get into it, may I put on pants?"

Clarice nodded once, and he grabbed the sweatpants draped over a hanger before slipping them on under the towel. He replaced the white cloth with the pants once he removed it from his waist. Her eyes didn't leave him the entire time, and it left him feeling slightly exposed. Never in their relationship had their been a time where she was more dressed than he was.

"I think you know why I'm here." Her voice was precise, and he knew she had been rehearsing this conversation the entire way over. A way to prevent her anger from boiling over perhaps. "What I told you this morning upset you."

"Of course, it upset me." Hannibal stated, crossing her arms over his chest. "Someone physically attacked you and tried to kill our daughter because of me. You were laying in a hospital bed worried about if our daughter would live to take her first breath while I was off sampling expensive wines and touring famous museums."

Clarice didn't show any emotion, and he couldn't read her. "Yes, but I'm here. Bella and I made it. Hannibal, it's in the past. You didn't need to snap at me on the phone this morning over it."

Hannibal sighed. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I was angry at myself, and I let my temper flare while I was talking to you." He glanced down at her stomach, knowing exactly where the scar lay hidden under her blouse. "I just didn't realize that I had almost lost you two before even really having you. Yes, it's the past, but I won't lose my family again. Never again."

The realization could be seen in Clarice's eyes first. Her powerful prowess faltered the slightest now understanding that his reaction was from the trauma he dealt with the majority of his life. It was the first time she was witnessing the brilliant Hannibal Lecter scared. "You haven't lost us."

"With a lot of luck and your strength." Hannibal added before sitting down on the edge of his bed. "I should have lost you long ago."

"What makes you believe that?" Clarice frowned. "It took you years to get me to fall in love with you, and I fought like hell against the feelings. Yes, there are a lot of reasons as to why you and I should not work. Reasons why we shouldn't have even considered thoughts of being together. Once you had me, you weren't ever going to lose me. You won't ever lose me, Hannibal. I've already lost so much time with you, and I don't want to waste anymore of it."

Hannibal smiled before meeting her eyes again. "How did you find me, Clarice?"

Clarice smirked and held up the note with his and Will Graham's numbers on it. "I tracked you first."

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	23. Chapter 23

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"Did you track Will's number yet?" Hannibal asked.

"No, not yet. I was so mad at you, and I got into it with Delia. I tracked your number, grabbed my case file, and came straight over here." Clarice explained, shoving the paper back into the pocket of her skirt. "It's been a stressful day, and it's not even noon."

Hannibal didn't need to glance behind him to know the file she spoke of was on his nightstand. "What case do they have you working now?"

Clarice's brows furrowed for a second before her eyes landed on the file. She relaxed somewhat from his question, but her body was still rigid. "No, it's _my_ case file. From my stabbing. I figured you would want to see it yourself. At this point, I don't think it will be solved."

"Does Paul Krendler know about the attack?" Hannibal asked, standing from the bed and touching the file just enough to tickle his fingertips. If Krendler knew, he still had a chance of being their Beer Can Killer.

"I'm sure he heard about it. He hung around the office too much not to know about it." Clarice breathed before watching Hannibal lift the front cover. She knew the case information documents and her profile information were in the front. The photos of her stab wound were just underneath that single piece of paper.

The moment it happened, the pain was brief. It lasted only a second before her concerns of her unborn child took over. There was discomfort, but she nearly directed the EMTs herself when she was taken to the hospital. The fear of not knowing if her baby's heart was still beating was what burned her the most, what she remembered the most. It was worse than the screaming of the lambs.

She stood as Hannibal read through the statement. His voice was soft, softer than she had ever heard it. "You turned at the last second."

"If I hadn't, the knife would've gone into the center of my stomach. I turned just in time to see him there when he came up from behind." Clarice stated. Her voice was detached from the incident. "The stab wound was downward too. Bella wouldn't have had a chance, and there was a good chance I would have died from that kind of injury. Not that I'd want to continue living after going through that." She whispered the last sentence.

Hannibal moved the statement aside and felt like his whole body shut down when he saw the stab wound. His Clarice lay in a hospital bed, dried blood curdled around the swell of her belly, with a one inch gash where the knife pierced her. The attack was done with so much force that the stab wound had a two inch radius of purple skin around it from bruising. If she hadn't turned, the blade most likely would've slashed through her belly button. With the downward motion, it would have destroyed her uterus and any chances of future children to come.

The attacker had one thing go his way unfortunately.

Medical records showed that the knife had pierced the uterine wall, but only grazed the amniotic sac that housed their daughter. Just a hair deeper and it could've been catastrophic for both of them. "If this had ended worse, if Bella hadn't made it, would you have told me about her?"

"I don't know." Clarice said honestly. "If she hadn't made it, I don't think I would have had the strength to carry on. Losing you was hard enough. She was my connection to you. But, I never intended to tell you I almost lost Bella."

"Why not?" Hannibal asked closing the file. He kept his eyes trained on the sickly brown colored folder though.

"I'm her mother. I'm supposed to be able to protect her from anything." Clarice stated. "I was carrying her inside me, and I nearly lost her."

Hannibal smiled softly meeting her eyes. "But Clarice, you did protect her. You turned and saved her life. You refused anything that could harm Bella, including painkillers." He wrapped his hands around her hips, his eyes gazing down at her stomach. Back to where he knew the scar was. "You did everything for her."

Clarice smiled and hummed in agreement at his statement. "I have done everything for her." She moved her arms behind her and shed her blazer jacket, tossing it back in the chair she had been occupying. His eyes met hers with a question. "I know you, Hannibal. Do what you need to do to assure yourself."

With moving hands, he untucked the pink silk from the waist of her skirt. His eyes didn't leave hers until he knelt on the ground before her and was face to face with the scar. The last piece of the evidence that the attack actually happened. He loved all her scars, but this one meant so much more now.

It wasn't like the gunpowder burn on her cheek, courtesy of her killing of Buffalo Bill.  
It wasn't like the faint mark on her thigh from her visit to the garage he sent her to, the cut that allowed him the first scent of her blood.  
It wasn't like the mangled flesh of her ear where Drumgo's bullet hit when she shot her holding her infant child.  
This was not a scar from the FBI.

This was her scar. Their scar. One that reminded them of what could have been and how precious their remaining time left was. A mark that would forever bring comfort that the body that hosted it still had a beating heart. It had healed and scarred. Much better than it remaining an open wound on a deceased pregnant woman as she was lowered into the ground.

This held more importance to him than any other blemish or freckle on her body.

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to the heightened skin. His fingers worked on her skirt, pulling down the zipper on her left hip and tugging the material down her long legs. His tongue flattened over the mark, and he grinned seeing the goosebumps flare across her stomach.

Clarice cupped the back of his head with one hand while the other gripped his shoulder. She kicked out of her heels and used her foot to sweep the skirt away from her on the floor. Hannibal's lips didn't seem to notice her movements as they were still paying sole attention to her stomach. His fingers, on the other hand, were not.

One hand pressed against the small of her back, keeping her body against his and allowing his lips and tongue to continue stimulating the scar. His other hand moved between her thighs. Finger tips tickled her sensitive skin before a thick digit slipped around the material of her panties and up inside her. She bit back her moan, but her hips showed her reaction greedily. It only seemed to motivate him further.

His finger curled inside her while thrusting deliciously. Her knees were weak in seconds, and she gripped his shoulder harder to keep herself upright. At that moment, she only needed one thing from him. "Hannibal."

Hannibal looked up at her before she brought his face to hers, pulling him into a standing position. His hands moved to her thighs and picked her up to allow her legs to wrap around his waist. He turned to the bed and kneeled down. Instead of laying Clarice down on her back, he let her pull away his sweatpants far enough before lowering her body onto his. With the added pressure of gravity, Clarice felt completely impaled and held onto Hannibal's body tightly as he began to move his hips.

Sweat collected along his brow and he nearly growled when she started moving her hips with his, using his body as her anchor. The knowledge that the only thing she clung to, the only thing she was touching, was himself made him work harder. Only air occupied the places his skin could not. Not even that could get between their bodies when their lips fused together.

* * *

Bella knew her day just got a whole lot worse when she walked into her last class with Chet to find him sitting directly behind her normal desk when he usually sat in the corner with the rest of the football players. As soon as she walked in, Chet smirked and his friends started whistling and staring at her like she was about to be brought to auction. She didn't feel that much different than a piece of meat at that point. That's when Winnie walked in behind her.

Thank God for her.

Winnie wrapped her arm around Bella's and hauled her away from Chet and the football players. Bella quickly sat down behind Winnie in the back so Chet couldn't be in reaching distance of her if he decided to move. She leaned forward and kissed Winnie's cheek. "I love you."

"I know." Winnie smirked before seeing Chet glare over his shoulder at them. "What's his problem anyway?"

"He doesn't care if I want him in my pants or not." Bella sighed, dropping her head onto her hand. "He's probably got some sick plan in his head, and it's freaking me out. Look at him. He looks more like a hyena than his father."

Winnie covered her mouth as she snickered, earning another glare from the young Krendler. "He's been threatening you with that shit for years. What makes you think he's going to go through with it now?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Because, he just proved to me this morning that he doesn't believe in the definition of rape. If he does, he doesn't think it applies to him." She saw Winnie pale when she mentioned the word rape. She had never used the term when talking about Chet, but the conversation with him was enough to shake her up. "Winnie, did he ever. . .you know, to you."

"As much as I hate his guts and cowboy casanova attitude, I said yes to every encounter we had. Of course, the relationship was purely physical." Winnie breathed before brushing away a stray eyelash that clung to the skin under Bella's eye. She flicked it onto the ground before meeting Bella's eyes again. "You're really scared of him, aren't you? He got to you."

Bella didn't dare look over at Chet. She felt his eyes on her, and she didn't want to give him the chance to see her discomfort. It would only motivate him further. "He tried to ram his tongue down my throat when we were four. I don't think my saying no to him will change his mind. It hasn't in nearly fourteen years. Of course, I'm fucking scared. You weren't there this morning. He spoke as if he had some claim over me, like I was already his."

Winnie bit her lip when the second bell rang after their lunch. "I've got your back, Bells. If you need me for anything, just let me know."

"Thanks, Win." Bella smiled before their teacher pronounced the beginning of his lecture as if it were scripture.

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	24. Chapter 24

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Clarice moaned softly as her lips lingered on Hannibal's. The sheet was wrapped around both of their cooling bodies, and she wanted nothing more than to stay laying on top of him for another hour. But, there were more pressing matters at the moment. Pressing a hand to his chest, she let her hair fall over one shoulder and met his eyes. "I need to go."

Hannibal's hand clasped onto hers that rested over his beating heart. "So soon? My dear, it's not even two."

"Yes, but I want to be close to Bella in case she needs me." Clarice stated as she pushed herself out of the bed. She quickly began collecting her clothes, all the while feeling Hannibal's eyes rake over her. "Neither of us can afford for me not to be there when her practice ends."

Hannibal frowned when Clarice's voice, so calm mere moments ago, was suddenly filled with stress. He sat up and kept the sheet up around his waist. "What happened?"

Clarice tucked the silk of her blouse back into her skirt before yanking on the side zipper. "Chet, in his own slick non-incriminating way, threatened to attack Bella. He's been hinting at it for years, but he must've said something to her this morning that hit a new level of scary. Bella was out of her mind scared, which is still pretty collected. I'm guessing that's more Lecter than Starling, that trait."

"Hold on a moment. Are you telling me that the young Krendler plans on raping Bella?" Hannibal asked. He stood from the bed and grabbed a fresh pair of boxers. "I'll follow you. I can take care of him quietly."

Clarice quickly placed her hands back on his chest, stopping him. When his chest pressed against hers, she moved them up to his face, cupping his cheeks in her palms. "As much as the world deserves that, as much as Bella and I would both enjoy that, the disappearance of Paul Krendler's son will set back our timeline of leaving. I'm meeting up with Bella before her practice ends, and she is coming back home with me. We aren't going anywhere else, and he won't have the window to lay a hand on her."

Hannibal's eyes were ablaze and his body rigid. "He's a predator. He'll only wait so long before he attacks out of desperation."

"I know, but we can't just kill him." Clarice breathed. "Believe me. I've wanted to take out Paul and Chet for years, but the FBI knows the beef between Paul and I. If Chet went missing, Paul would point the finger at Bella and I right away. He's so obsessed with our connection to you. It would just be too close to the truth to steer everyone away. Delia is already questioning my loyalty. She may think that you're Bella's father. We can't afford to let anything lead back to us."

Hannibal sighed. Even in the arms of his lamb and holding her in his own arms, breathing in the fresh air and having a view, he felt as trapped as he did in the asylum. Killing Chet would leave Clarice and Bella vulnerable to the FBI and worse, Paul Krendler. Even if he had to return to the States after settling the girls in Europe, he would deliver the proper farewell for Chet Krendler for instilling a fear in his daughter that had caused her to reach out to Clarice in panic. He may not have known his daughter for long, but he knew she was bull-headed enough for it to be a very rare occurrence.

"Alright. I'll keep my hands clean. . .for now." Hannibal whispered before kissing along her hairline. "I don't trust the school. I walked through the halls and to Bella's practice without anyone noticing." He grabbed Clarice's jacket from the chair and held it up for her to slide her arms inside. "I won't lay a hand on him, but I'm going to be keeping a closer watch on our little bird." He was more equipped to observe Bella from a distance in this situation than to go in baring teeth. This was safer for all of them.

"I'm sure she would be thrilled." Clarice smiled before pulling her hair out from underneath her collar. "You'd be very pleased to know that your _little bird_, as you call her, is upset that she didn't get to say goodbye to you. It seems that she misses you, Doctor."

Hannibal grinned and nodded once. "I miss her as well. I have a gift for her on Friday though. She should receive it before the show. Hopefully, that will help lessen the distance." He placed his hands back on Clarice's hips and kissed her cheek once she pulled her heels on. "Send my love to her."

Clarice caressed his cheek gently. "I will. I'll call you tonight when we get home." She saw the emotion in his eyes. Anger, love, understanding, yearning. She was sure the same reflected in hers. "She wants to go, Hannibal. What you say or don't say won't change her mind. Not anymore. She was nearly heartbroken to walk into school this morning. She's ready."

"Then," Hannibal whispered, "put her on the phone if she would like to talk to me. I would enjoy it very much."

"Who knew making you a father would turn you into such a softy." Clarice teased. She chuckled when his eyes darkened and he bit her thumb playfully. "There's my Hannibal."

* * *

Bella leaped into her partner's arms, legs extended before and behind her. She bent the leg pointed ahead of her before he dipped her down to face to floor for a brief second. As soon as he brought her up, she was on her feet again, twirling on toes and spotting the fake rock and bush set up for the performance. A catch and release between the prince and princess. This moment was not theirs. Their moment was not for another two acts.

When Bella raised her arms to mimic the elegance of a swan, the piano notes faded and Pellagrim's voice broke the momentum to the next scene. "Amazing! We may actually pull this off Friday night. That does not mean we can start slacking off. Everyone continue to practice during every spare moment. A friend of mine from Broadway is coming to talent scout during the performance, so that means being on your toes could not be more literal."

Bella rolled her eyes. His friend from Broadway was probably nonexistent. He made the same statement every year about a friend of his coming from some musical or club. Almost always, they were past employees who worked as cleaning or cooking crew. It was a friendly face for the door, but not someone whose opinion on talent would be taken seriously.

Pellagrim called practice for the night when Clarice walked in. Bella grabbed her bag and was about to jump off the stage when Pellagrim's voice hit her ears again. "Bella, can I talk to you for a moment, please?"

Bella inwardly groaned and turned back to the piano, trudging over and leaning against the large organ player. She could already hear Hannibal's voice. "_Do you enjoy his small gestures and advances? Offering you privileges and private practices? Or does it make your skin crawl as much as the young Krendler seems to do?" _

"What is it, Coach Pellagrim?"

"I'm serious about that Broadway friend. I've told him about you, and I think you may actually have a great shot capturing his attention." Pellagrim stated as he began collecting his things into the worn black leather briefcase. The seams at the corners were frayed and the handles looked like they might fall off if he put too much weight inside it. "He might have the means to get you a scholarship to a school in New York."

"I'll do my best." Bella smiled politely. Before giving him the chance to speak, she readjusted her bag on her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow." She quickly hopped off the stage and turned to Clarice before noticing her mother's attire. "A skirt. No lines. Slightly messy hair." She grinned before she was arm's length away. "And, you smell like him. You had a booty call!"

Clarice rolled her eyes but the laugh escaped her lips. "I don't think it can be called that when that's not the point of the meeting, and it's the father to your child." She whispered kissing Bella's cheek. "Let's get you out of here. I saw Chet heading to your locker on my way here."

* * *

Clarice walked into the kitchen, changed from her skirt and blazer, with the burner phone pressed to her ear. She froze when she saw Bella standing over the stove with a pan of freshly cooked food coming out of the oven. "Oh my God! She's cooking."

"Bacon wrapped and cheese stuffed chicken breasts." Bella grinned as she closed the oven door and grabbed two plates from the cupboard above. "I figured this would be safe to try cooking without supervision for my first time."

"It smells delicious." Clarice half moaned as she grabbed a plate. She held the phone out to Bella. "The phone is for you."

Bella frowned, glancing at her cell phone on the counter, before pressing the smaller cell to her ear. "Hello?"

Hannibal smiled on the other end. "Hello, my little bird."

"Hannibal!" Bella grinned, meeting Clarice's eyes with excitement.

Hannibal chuckled hearing his daughter's unbridled happiness ring in his ears as he looked out over the dark woodland floor. The red-tailed hawk that had perched on his balcony earlier was now circling overhead above the trees. In the moonlight, it's eyes glowed a fierce yellow. "Yes, it's me. Is it alright that we talk?"

"Of course." Bella watched as Clarice grabbed her food and made her way to the couch to watch TV. "What do you want to talk about?"

Clarice grinned listening to Bella talk to Hannibal. She was animated and joyful, and. . .dissecting her food for him. Describing her cooking methods to the man who had fried Paul Krendler's brains for consumption the night she was conceived. She had to admit. The food was better than anything she had made in the past few years, and it made her excitement grow for the days to come when she could sample the things that Hannibal and Bella made together. Sampling the things they all made together.

She longed to walk through a house that her and Hannibal shared together. One where she could listen to him play piano and curl up next to him in front of a fireplace. A home that they could retreat to and hide from the rest of the world. A space for Bella to perform her ballet, knowing Hannibal would most likely have that as a must-have on his preferences.

Her hopes for visiting grandchildren or son-inlaws was slim if at all possible.

With Hannibal's presence and the ever growing number of enemies willing to pay top dollar for his capture, she knew that being a grandparent for either of them would be near impossible. Bella could very well have children, but they would most likely never meet them or the man who Bella decided to spend her life with. Her visits with them would be a web of lies spun to her family so no one would be the wiser. She and Hannibal would be watching the innocent faces of their legacy from afar. If they were lucky enough, they might have the chance to hear the echo of small feet running around tiled or wood floors. A chance to hear the squeal of laughter.

But, there was still a chance. The chance that every generation to come would live in the shadows, hiding from the law and protecting their DNA. At least the first few generations. It was Bella's choice though. She wouldn't sway her daughter one way or the other. Clarice had made her choice long ago. It might have been decided when she stepped foot into that basement at the asylum, but no one could sway her at this point.

She needed Hannibal Lecter in her life, and he would keep their family together no matter the limitations or pending strangers.

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	25. Chapter 25

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Hannibal lounged back on his bed, eyes closed, smiling as he listened to Bella talk about her dance practice and the lack of talent in some of the other dancers. She segwayed into her coach's behavior towards her and how his friend from Broadway was coming to the performance Friday night. "You don't believe in this friend of his."

"I think he's real. I just don't think he's from the Broadway he leads everyone to believe." Bella smirked with a roll of her eyes. "He's not the worst person to deal with though. The kids my age are. . .not like me. I feel like an outsider in a group of kids I've grown up with."

"Speaking of the kids your age, your mother mentioned that the young Krendler made some frightening advances towards you this morning." Hannibal stated. The silence he received from the other end caused his maroon eyes to open to the unpleasant view of his room. The tacky wallpaper and horror movie inspired China dolls were part of his cover, and he made a mental note not to let his cover affect his surroundings like this again. "What did he say to you, Bella?"

Bella stared up at her ceiling, biting her bottom lip. "It was nothing."

Hannibal wasn't going to let her back out of this conversation that easily. With a warning, his voice came out much lower. The metallic doctor voice. "Bellona. What did he say to you to make you fear for your well being?"

It was Bella's turn to close her eyes. The way he said her name made her feel like she was five and being scolded. It also made her feel like she was protected and safe even if she had no clue where he was. Even when they were talking about one of the most disturbing conversations she'd had in her life. "He told me rape isn't rape if I enjoy it. I told him that it's rape once I say no."

"What did he say to that?" Hannibal prodded.

Bella felt the tears prick the back of her eyes, and she sucked in a breath in an attempt to keep them away. "He said, 'If I make you cum, it's not rape.' He said it exactly like that and smirked at me like he'd just won a trophy. He stalked me the rest of the day. Mom said she saw him heading to my locker when she came to pick me up." She heard the change in Hannibal's breathing. "I won't give him the chance."

"That's the thing. He won't wait for you to give it to him. He'll take it. That's the whole point of the act itself." Hannibal breathed. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "You fight like hell. Do you remember what I told you about last defenses?"

"Yes." Bella whispered, glancing to the tape on her nightstand. "What if I like it?"

Hannibal stretched out his back slowly, allowing the muscles to seize before releasing. "Well, you'd be like your dear old dad. There are tons of recipes I could show you that the rest of the world doesn't seem too interested in. Well, other than the average collector yearning for a prize from the famous Hannibal Lecter." He smiled when Bella chuckled on the other end of the line. "Don't worry, my little bird. I'll be watching you closely. I won't be leaving anything to chance. I'm here for whatever you desire, including the end of the young Krendler."

Bella smiled. "I know." She looked up when Clarice stepped inside the ajar door.

Clarice grinned and leaned against the door frame seeing Bella was still on the phone with Hannibal. "Honey, I think it's time to go to sleep. It's nearly midnight." She held out her hand. "But, I'll talk to your father."

"So naturally that comes off your lips now." Bella smirked before returning her attention to the phone. "I guess I have to go, but Mom wants to talk to you."

"I'd be happy to talk with her." Hannibal replied softly. "Remember what I told you, Bella. I'm nearly leaping myself with my excitement for your performance Friday night. Whether you see me or not, I'll be there." He heard shuffling - Clarice's feet on the carpet of Bella's room. "Goodnight, my little bird."

Bella smiled. "Goodnight."

Clarice gently took the phone when Bella extended it towards her. Holding the receiver against her shoulder, she leaned down and kissed Bella's forehead. "Goodnight, baby."

* * *

"My Clarice, our little bird seems rather shaken up over today's events. I hardly blame her, but I would blame myself if I didn't prepare for the young Krendler's eventual attack against her." Hannibal sighed into the phone. While Clarice bid a peaceful sleep to their daughter, he took the opportunity to slip on his shoes and sneak out of the small bed and breakfast. If the owner locked the front door for the night, she had given him a copy to get back in.

Now, he was sitting in the driver's seat of the old station wagon he had borrowed from a family on vacation. While running in the park to catch glimpses of the crime scene, he overheard two women running side by side. The woman who had been referred to as Diane had said that she and her family were headed out of town until next Friday. He wouldn't keep the car that long, but the family certainly wouldn't need it.

Clarice sat in her bed, comforter pulled into her lap, with her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. "As long as it doesn't affect our timeline, I would welcome any precaution you see fit. There isn't much I wouldn't do to protect you two."

"As is for me." Hannibal purred. "I need you to track that other number tomorrow, Clarice. Keep your burner with you. I believe Will could be in grave danger. He's here in Virginia. That can't be a coincidence."

Clarice nodded. "I agree. I'll go in early tomorrow. I think avoiding Ardelia would be wise for the time being." She slid down her mattress, falling back against her pillows. "But, I'll attract attention to myself if I don't talk to her. I told her not to come to Bella's ballet Friday night too, and Delia wanted to take her and I out for dinner afterwards."

"What exactly did Ms. Mapp say to you to stir such a fire?" Hannibal asked, his thumb stroked the worn leather on the steering wheel. The leather that still clung to the wooden wheel was smoothed over with years of use. The family must have had the car since the parents were teenagers.

Clarice pinched the bridge of her nose. "She thinks you're involved with the Beer Can Killer. I told her, even if she didn't read your file, you wouldn't murder random people unless you had something to gain from it. I reminded her that you once told me you would never call on me. She didn't seem to care, which is what made me mad. She treated me like I was fighting against her, like she already knew Bella's DNA matches yours."

Hannibal stared ahead, eyes gazing over the dirt road leading to his temporary residence. "Has she ever questioned you as to who Bella's father is?

"Briefly when I first told her I was pregnant. I just told her I didn't want to talk about it, and she let me put the whole topic to rest. Things were crazy with Paul's recovery and your escape. My news of Bella was low on the totem pole during those days." Clarice explained. "Today, I knew she wanted to ask me. She hinted at it, prodded a question with a question. I was just mad that the last person in the FBI I could really count on to have my back and not question my decisions was now putting me in the spotlight with the million dollar question everybody in Quantico had been asking since we first met. If we were more than just people in an FBI assignment. If we were actually doing all the things _The Tattler_ claimed we were doing."

"So Delia's trust and silence on the topic kept you satisfied with the friendship?" Hannibal questioned.

Clarice sighed. "I guess. I get I was lying to her, and I owe her an apology for all of this someday. I just didn't think that Delia would ever turn to me with those questions. She's always had my back, but I know that she won't ever understand my decisions going forward. Our friendship will never be the same. To be honest, it hasn't been the same since Bella, since our night together so many years ago."

Hannibal hummed in response, his eyes catching sight of the hawk again. It circled lower to the ground and dove like a rocket to Earth when it caught the slightest movement in the dry and crinkled leaves that had fallen to the ground from the autumn chill. "Does that make you sad, Clarice? That the friendship that bound you further to the FBI is no longer what it used to be. That Ms. Mapp will never break her ties with your once sacred ground and try to destroy the future you wish to build now, if you still want to build it after this discovery. Does it make you regret your choices?"

"Yes, it makes me sad." Clarice admitted. "And my loyalties to her will vanish once she begins her hunt to catch me with the eventual hopes of getting to you. She may go after Bella to try and get us, but no. I don't regret my choices. I could never regret you, Hannibal. Despite what I'm losing in this life, I know I'll be so much happier in the next. I'm not going to choose anyone else. You've got Bella and I more excited to leave than for Christmas, and that's her favorite holiday."

"I shall plan accordingly." Hannibal smiled. The hawk's neck contorted back as it plucked the lifeless body of a mouse from it's powerful grasp. With a few pumps of its neck, the mouse went down its throat. The yellow eyes blinked before it took position up in the trees again, waiting for its next victim to surrender its position in the leaves. Even the lack of moonlight couldn't save its next prey tonight. "I have made travel arrangements on your birthday. We have a nonstop flight from Miami to Argentina. You and Bella do at least. For precaution, I will not be flying down with you. There are flights to Europe in your names that day. You and Bella will have aliases for the Miami flight. For appearances sake. Bella will be attending college in Europe after all."

Clarice smiled. "Christmas in Argentina. I hope you plan for a Christmas tree. Our daughter will be very upset if she doesn't have one." The memories of a stubborn Bella on Christmas and having things a certain way reminded her of another person she knew with particular tastes. "Her outlook on Christmas is like your outlook on fine wines. Everything must be perfect."

Hannibal's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "I see. Should it worry me that our little bird has an attachment to such a religious holiday? We aren't exactly the most religious people, Clarice. While I respect the choice of faith in others, our stars don't exactly aline with that of Jesus Christ."

Clarice rolled her eyes. "When she was little, we did Christmas because, well, everyone does Christmas. A lot of her classmates don't even know it's a religious holiday and they celebrate even though they're atheists. I always told her that Santa would bring her the things she wanted most."

"What did she want most?" Hannibal asked, already feeling a dread fill his chest with the answer he was expecting to hear. And, Clarice confirmed it with two words.

"Her father." Clarice whispered. "After a couple years, I couldn't console her. I finally told her the story of the Virgin Mary and how she had Jesus through the spirit of God. I told Bella that she may not see her father, but he was watching over her. He knew that she would change the world though, much like Jesus."

Hannibal smiled, amused thinking of his little bird as a small child listening to the comparison between herself and the Son of God. "I would've enjoyed listening to you explain that to her. How did she take your interpretation of her sudden holiness."

Clarice chuckled and covered her eyes with her hand. "She was seven, maybe eight. For six months after that, she would walk out the front door, wave to the sky, and say hello to the father watching over her." Her eyes began to feel heavy, but she didn't dare close them hearing Hannibal laughing so freely on the other end of the line. "I think she eventually thought I just uttered bullshit to her."

Hannibal rested his head back against the leather seat. "You weren't entirely wrong with that comparison. She will change the world. Her DNA would change the belief system behind my psyche. Scientific theories would be shattered. I'm sure the FBI would change with that piece of information."

"They may learn to protect their own for a second before reverting back to the politics." Clarice breathed. Her eyes landed on the alarm clock. "I have a feeling you are up to something at this late hour, and I don't want to keep you from it. Just be careful."

Hannibal smiled as he turned the key in the ignition. Even when he thought his actions were concealed with his careful movements and actions, she knew him better than he would like to admit. "As always, Clarice. Sleep tight."

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	26. Chapter 26

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Hannibal lowered himself from the air duct into the principal's office where the security camera monitors were set up. The office was barely an office, more suitable to supply as a janitor's closet. The walls were made of painted concrete blocks that did nothing to keep the building warm in the winter or cool in the summer. In front of the numerous monitors airing the school like a common reality show, a desk sat with paperwork littered on every inch of space available. Whether the top was wood or a cheap substitute wrapped in a metal liner, he couldn't tell and wouldn't venture to find out.

A single bookshelf stood tall by the door, but didn't house many items other than a couple binders and a family photo. Not even a degree or award to show off. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a half circle table with two matching chairs. The chairs were built with a better structure than the table, and Hannibal feared another file too thick would make the whole thing combust into a heap on the floor.

His attention moved back to the monitors though and their safety features. From what he could see, his first impression of the lack of security was correct. The cameras were functioning and recording, but they held no inner alarm system. No alerts of motion would wake the ones with access to the security footage. There were only two outdoor cameras, one at the back entrance and other at the front. The other cameras were rotating in semicircles. One camera watched over two hallways like a fan that children would chase to get a few more seconds of cold air on hot days or talk into to hear their voices echo back to them off the fan blades.

There wasn't even a security code to get inside the system. With a small flash drive size device, he plugged it into the computer box and clicked through the computer settings with a tissue between his fingers and the mouse. While the download began, Hannibal pulled out another device from his back pocket and used the mass of wires from the computer to hide it, twisting it in with the camera feed.

Twenty minutes until download completed.

Satisfied that his presence wouldn't be observed unless the escape plan deviated and gave away his location, he walked out of the office, snatched a cheap blue notepad off the passing secretary's desk, and found himself emerging into the school hallways.

He thumbed through the notepad with the locker assignments and combination patterns. Dividers for each letter of a student's last name was marked with a yellow tab, each curling on the top right corner where the secretary had worn them with their use. Observing the hallways, he let his fingers slide along to the S tab in the pad before he flipped pages to find his little bird's name.

He told her he would be watching.

* * *

Clarice nearly spit her coffee out of her mouth when she saw Bella walk in with puffy eyes and a red nose. She had a tissue in her hand and talked as if she had cotton shoved down her throat. "Mommy, I don't feel good."

"I can tell." Clarice said before walking around the island and reaching for her daughter's forehead. "You don't feel too warm. It might be that twenty-four hour bug that's been going around."

"It's going to be a long twenty-four hours." Bella mumbled before wiping her nose again. "I have the ballet in two days. I need to go to practice."

Clarice guided Bella to the couch and sat her down. "We both know you don't need more practice compared to the rest of those kids. Besides, pushing yourself will force you out of the ballet entirely." She pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Bella before giving her the TV remote. "I don't want to leave you here alone though when Chet Krendler is just looking for a weak spot."

"He doesn't even know where we live." Bella smirked before closing her eyes. "He's not smart enough to follow us home after practice."

"Either way. I would rather have someone watch you." Clarice reiterated. "Or at least come check up on you to make sure you haven't burned the house down with your new found cooking skills."

Bella closed her eyes, cocooning herself into the couch. "Ha ha. You're so funny. I don't even want to think about food right now."

Clarice smiled sympathetically before kissing the crown of Bella's head. "Get some sleep. I'll call the school. If anything, I'll come check on you. My presence isn't exactly wanted around the office since Delia went to the Chief with the theory the killer is after us." Her hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned down to meet Bella's eyes. "Do you have anything upstairs you want me to bring down?"

"Just my bag. It's on the floor by my bed." Bella sighed. Without moving her arm, she used her fingers to tug the remote across the seat and into her hand. She thumbed the buttons until she could change the channels. "I'm going to be fine, Mom."

"Are you telling that to me or to yourself?" Clarice asked with a smirk. She stood from the couch and began walking down the hall towards the stairs when she heard Bella's voice again.

"I guess we'll see at the end of the day."

* * *

With the Behavioral Science building and all the swirling rumors behind her, Clarice, sunglasses perched on her nose, climbed into her mustang before pulling out the burner phone. Using memory touch, she had dialed his pre-existing number without looking at the phone as she pulled out of her parking spot. A single nod to the guard and Hannibal's voice filled her ears. "Good morning, Clarice. I do hope that you are calling with Mr. Graham's last known location."

"Here I thought you would just like to hear my voice." Clarice teased, a smirk tugging on her lips. "I found a couple addresses, but the one frequented the most in an apartment building a couple miles from me. I was thinking about checking it out myself. I'm not sure how Graham would react if you happened to show up at his front door."

"And if our killer has already captured him, what's to stop him from coming after you, my dear?" Hannibal questioned as he sat in the station wagon on the side of the street. "I'd rather I join you if you want to check out the place yourself. If Will is there, you can handle it how you would like. If he isn't there, if there is evidence of foul play, better to have two sets of eyes to access a possible crime scene and look for threats."

Clarice resisted the urge to tell him she could watch her own back. He was only being protective, and she would have to get used to that in the near future. If the roles were reversed, she would be telling him the same thing. "Where are you?"

Hannibal smiled behind his own sunglasses. "Not far. Watching over our little bird. Why is she not in school, Clarice?"

Of course, he was going to be as close to her as possible.

"She is sick. Came down looking worse than some of your old friends from the asylum." Clarice stated, a touch more of her southern twang showing than she would've preferred. "She'll probably be out like a light most of the day. Her classmates have been getting it and felt completely better the next day."

Hannibal's eyes scanned the street, but his face remained pointed to the Starling townhouse. "Still, alone and unguarded is a dangerous place for any one of us now. I can't keep eyes on the both of you in this arrangement."

Clarice sighed when she pulled up to a spot light. The pause allowed her to rub her right temple with her fingers, hoping to work out the headache just over the horizon. "What are you suggesting, Hannibal? I can do the search myself. If your theory about the Beer Can Killer is correct, he won't kill me. He wants you. Having me is leverage to get you to him."

"When you reach the building, call me from outside and talk me through the scene. If Will is there, you can hang up when he answers the door. Take pictures with your phone either way. You know how I analyze a place." Hannibal nearly purred.

"I do." Clarice nodded once before the light turned green. She took off towards the apartment address. "If you prefer, you can go inside with her, Hannibal. I know you miss her, and she misses you too. Probably more than she's willing to admit. Go in and take care of your daughter."

Hannibal smiled. "Thank you, Clarice."

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	27. Chapter 27

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The first thing that hit his ears was the soft voices of a popular nineties sitcom. A box of tissues on the coffee table and a book bag on the floor between it and the couch. He had his phone open, silent, waiting for Clarice's call. Like she'd expected, Bella was fast asleep on the couch with a blanket over top of her. The same blanket he had covered her up with less than a week before. He could see the blankets rise and fall with her chest as her lungs expanded, but he ceased breathing until he heard hers.

In and out.

Another piece of Bella to commit to his memory palace.

He could still smell the vanilla cinnamon shampoo she had used the night before, a vast contrast to the almond one Clarice used. Her eyes were slightly puffy and the tip of her nose was red. Judging from the lack of used tissues, she had been asleep since Clarice had left for work. Only one set of dishes sat on the counter by the sink.

Then, a deep breath. In and. . .out.

Bella sighed in her sleep before turning onto her other side, leaving her back exposed as she curled into the back cushions. Her fingers peeked out of her sweatshirt sleeves that were too long for her arms. No nail polish, not even a clear coat. But, her nails were healthy, no signs of a biting habit.

He moved around the back of the couch to gaze at her when he saw the screen of his phone signal the incoming call from Clarice. His eyes didn't move from Bella as he answered. "Well done, Clarice."

* * *

Clarice smiled as she snuck into the building as one of the tenants was leaving. She weaved her way to the apartment log and glanced through them, not seeing Will's name listed on the tenant board. "He must not be listed under is own name."

"Too easy for the FBI to catch him. Try an anagram of his name. I taught him those." Hannibal suggested before moving behind the island and raiding the fridge for ingredients. He set his gift to Bella down on the counter.

Clarice's finger ran over the plastic pieces covering the paper name tags given to each apartment. "Liam H. L. Graw." She saw the apartment number and began climbing the stairs. "Not exactly the best anagram, Doctor."

Hannibal smiled and shrugged. "It made you pause, Clarice. Most agents from your precious FBI would've turned seeing no evidence of him there." He set out a carton of eggs along with some of the vegetables from one of the bottom drawers on the counter. "Remember to check behind doors and corners."

Clarice reached the landing and immediately reached for her gun, pulling it out of the holster and keeping it down by her thigh. "The door is open. I can already see debris on the floor."

"I'm coming there now."

"We don't have time. Will could be bleeding out in there." Clarice whispered. She looked through the narrow space into the apartment. She didn't see a body from where she was, but there were papers all over the floor and boxes tipped over. A light bulb lay broken around the lamp shade it belonged to. "I'm going in."

She heard Hannibal's protests, but slid the phone inside her pocket to leave the call running. "This is Special Agent Clarice Starling. If there is anyone in there, I need you to speak up now. Slowly make your way to the door with your hands up."

Nothing.

Not even a rustle of the papers on the floor.

With one hand trained on her gun, she lifted it up to point inside as her other hand pushed the door open with fingertips. It was a small one bedroom apartment with the doors leading to the bedroom and bathroom wide open. A quick walk through, checking closets, corners, and behind doors, allowed her to holster her gun back on her hip knowing that she was alone in the apartment. She began scanning the apartment when she brought the phone back to her ear.

"It's clear."

Hannibal sighed on the other end and was silent for a moment. He took two deep breaths before his voice flooded her senses again. "What do you see, Clarice?"

"File boxes tipped over. It looks like he was working again." Clarice examined the case files scattered on the floor. Some of them were from Will's famous Red Dragon suspect. Those crime scenes were gruesome. She crouched low on the floor and looked around, her eyes landing on a curdled puddle in the kitchen. "There's blood. No body. The drag marks only stretch a couple feet. The victim must have been carried out after that. The killer would have had to have a considerable amount of muscle to carry dead weight out of here. Too much blood for the victim to live through that."

"What else?" Hannibal closed his eyes, trying to picture the scene in his mind.

Clarice entered the kitchen, mindful of keeping her shoes out of the blood. "The sink is full of dirty dishes. Looks like a couple weeks worth. Takeout containers. More than what I usually have. He must have been attacked while he was eating. The barstool at the counter is tossed towards the front door, and there's a dinner plate with half the food still on it." Her eyes traveled the room again. "No evidence of any other persons. The TV screen is cracked in a spider-web effect. Looks like something went through it."

Hannibal visualized the TV. "Bullet?"

Clarice moved towards the television herself as she shook her head. "No. The hole is too big. It's wider than it is tall. Like the remote was smashed into it."

"A remote is not a suitable weapon. Will would not use that to defend himself. If he was eating, he would've gone to the kitchen to get a knife." Hannibal determined.

"That's what I would do." Clarice agreed. Her feet carried her around the couch and small coffee table to see the remote laying on the ground with a few small pieces of loose television glass. The front of the black remote was chipped, most likely upon impact with the screen. Some of the buttons were tattered from getting caught in the shards. "Something must have upset Will enough to chuck his remote like that."

Her attention was averted when her actual cell phone started vibrating on her hip. She unclipped it to see Delia's name flashing on the screen. "I have to go. Delia's calling me. I'll come home soon."

Hannibal felt the words roll of his tongue as he began pulling bowls and tools out of cabinets. "Yes, dear."

Clarice smiled with a shake of her head before she picked up her other phone, hiding her burner back in her pocket. "Starling."

"Where are you right now?" Delia's voice rang clear over the phone. She must've been in one of the stairways with the echo it carried.

"I heard Will Graham was in town and got his address from the computer this morning. I figured I'd stop by and see him since I've never had the pleasure of meeting Doctor Lecter's other mind fuck tool." She glanced around again. There were too many files for her to dig through to see if Graham was onto anything relevant that could lead to an explanation for this scene. "Why? Did you call to tell me you have a court order for my daughter's DNA?"

Delia huffed out a sharp breath. "Clarice, I'm sorry. I know you better than that. I'm just worried about you, and Lecter is sick enough to mess with you like this." She didn't notice Clarice's own sigh of breath. "Graham is assisting us with the Beer Can Killer case. I guess he came up as soon as the first victim came in. It's been super hush-hush though. The Bureau was surprised when he gave in so easy. They usually have to beg for months for him to join an investigation, and he still says no. I guess the anniversary of Jack's death hit him a little harder."

Clarice swallowed the information and the apology. She could already taste the crow that would be coming around Christmas. "Will couldn't make it to the funeral. From what I've heard, he's always felt guilt over that." She paused a moment, allowing one final sweep of the crime scene. "Delia, I think you need to get over here."

* * *

Bella sighed as she woke up, her eyes squinting against the light in the room. It felt like she'd been on the couch for a decade, but her head continued to pound. Slowly, she sat up with aching muscles and looked around. The living room smelled amazing from whatever the pots held on the kitchen stove. The blanket that Clarice had draped over her was now tucked around her like a burrito casing. The struggle to break her arms from it was momentary.

That's when her eyes landed on the small gift on the coffee table. A stuffed animal hawk stood balanced on yellow clawed feet and long redish-orange feathers that blended into brown on the back. The plastic eyes were large black pupils with a ring of yellow around them. A small scroll sat between the talons of its right foot. She pulled it out and hugged the hawk against her chest as she unrolled the silky paper.

_The answer is inside you, my little bird. If you still want to leave, plans have been arranged for December 23rd. Be prepared._

_Love,_

_Your Dear Old Dad_

The smile spread across her face as she buried it into the stuffed hawk. That's when she felt it. Her fingers pressed into the puffed chest of the bird. About four inches across, three down. Two circular holes.

Hannibal put a tape inside the bird.

Bella let her fingers fumble along the bird, finding a velcro hatch at the bottom of the hawk's chest. It was hidden by the plush feather-like fabric that kept the bird together. Under the velcro, the tape sat in a silk pocket that was most likely a spot for little girls to hide a friendship necklace or small denominations of cash from the tooth fairy. With her sickening pains forgotten, Bella wrestled with her blanket before sprinting for her room where the walkman was.

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	28. Chapter 28

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Hannibal waited patiently in the pantry closet while Bella launched herself upstairs to get the walkman. Once she came back down, the aromas of his cooking finally called to her empty stomach. A rich broth with chicken, homemade noodles, and vegetables sat simmering on the stovetop. He had nearly finished it when he heard Bella's breathing change. The soft sigh that emitted from her forced him into the pantry to watch her through the crack between the door and doorframe.

The sleep had done her good. She looked much better from when he first arrived, but he could tell her temperature was off. She hugged herself even in her sweatshirt and sweatpants over the heat of the stove. As she took the ladle into her hand and scooped a helping into one of the two bowls he set out, he longed to touch her, hold her, in any capacity. He ran through the foyer and hallways of his memory palace before reaching the couch were she slept cuddled into his side, his hand stroking her hair. He could feel her body heat on the right side of his body as her breath warmed and cooled his chest where her head lay. One of her hands over his heart thumbing against her palm as he felt her pulse drum in her fingertips.

His memory was interrupted when her bowl clinked against the countertop. She set it down by the empty bowl before filling it as well. A smile tugged at the end of her lips. He had been caught. With the second bowl filled, she rested it on the island corner closest to the pantry.

He was just about to push out of the closet when the doorbell rang. His surprise was mirrored on Bella's face as she left the safety of the kitchen to check the front door. When she was around the corner to the front hallway, he took his chance to get closer.

* * *

Bella saw the outline of the person on the other side, the physical features, and sighed as she opened the door only halfway, blocking the view into the townhouse. "Coach Pellagrim, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard your mother called you in sick for today and became worried. I don't need the star of my ballet dropping out two days before the performance." Pellagrim smiled at her, but there was an edge as well. Almost a desperation. "You are still performing, right?"

"I'm still planning on it." Bella nodded before glancing at the bowl in his hand. It looked like a store boughten beef stew that he had put in a tupperware container. "You could've just called me. I have my cell phone with me."

Pellagrim opened and closed his mouth, caught off guard by her words. "I decided to bring you soup to help you feel better."

Bella forced a polite smile. "That's very thoughtful, but my stomach is very sensitive right now. I've barely eaten all day."

"Well, then you really should eat this. I could heat it up for you if you'd like." Pellagrim insisted, stepping closer to the door. "If you're tired, you should sleep. I don't want you to feel worse than you already do."

Bella blocked his attempt at entry. "Uh, my dad is actually here taking care of me."

Pellagrim smiled. "Your father? Are you lying to me, Bella? You told me for years that you didn't know who your dad was. Why are you lying to me? I think I have been very forthcoming with you. I don't appreciate being lied to."

"You have been _very_ forward with me." Bella agreed. "I only recently met him. Now, I am very tired. If you could please leave, I would appreciate that. If you don't go, I will call the principal and tell her about everything, including this encounter that I can prove with the security cameras my mom has around the house and outside. One rests just above your head and another in the doorbell itself."

Pellagrim stepped back baffled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Even your wife knows about your perversions. I won't be coming to rehearsal tomorrow, but I will perform Friday night. It will be my last for the year." Without waiting for a reply or taking the soup, Bella closed and locked the door before falling back against it tiredly. Her eyes drifted shut as a breath escaped between her teeth.

"I don't think I could've done better myself. Then again, I would've invited him in _for dinner._"

Bella smiled and opened her eyes to see Hannibal standing at the end of the small hallway. His harpy was ready in his hand as he stashed it back away. She shuffled over to him and hugged him tightly, resting her head against his chest. "Hi Daddy."

Hannibal kissed the top of her head, the brown hair there tickling his nose, as a warmth filled his chest. "Hello Bellona."

* * *

The flash of evidence cameras was constant. The first team to arrive called for another to help with bagging evidence. The white latex gloves in the room a stark contrast to the dark brown and black suits of her fellow co-workers. With each document and paper lifted from the floor, the apartment darkened due to the hardwood floors. Although beautiful, it only took away from the crime the happened here, but she stayed out of the way since Will Graham's presence in Washington was because of the Beer Can Killer case. No longer her case to work.

"We're going to test the blood, but we're pretty sure it's Will's. He's been a hermit since Hannibal and the Red Dragon fiasco. Since the break-in and attack at his house, his wife said he rarely goes out unless it's to the beach in their backyard." Delia explained, standing next to Clarice outside the apartment. "He was a great agent. It's a shame."

Talking as if he was already dead. As if the blood had already been confirmed to be his.

The thought of Delia's reaction at her future disappearance crossed her mind.

Clarice stepped around Delia to the stairs. "Call me if you guys need anything else."

"Clarice!" Delia frowned. She waited until her friend turned around halfway down the stairs. "I know you think I'm being unfair here, but this only questions Lecter's involvement more. He was fixated on Will before he was you. You may think that you know him better because of your interviews, and you probably do, but you don't have a special claim on him that states you're the only one who can investigate him."

The tip of her tongue ran along the top row of teeth, feeling the ridges that certainly liked to mark the doctor as her own. The love bite he gave her tingled on the left side of her neck, just above her shoulder. "Are you done?"

Ardelia gaped and laughed despite her anger. "I feel like I don't even know you anymore. Maybe I haven't known you for years. Maybe Bella really is Hannibal's Little Cannibal, because you have lost your damn mind. Lecter probably fucked you senseless over Krendler's body. Bella certainly has a lot of his tastes and interests. If she really is his, and I hope for your sake she isn't, that coward that stabbed you should've done a better job aiming."

Clarice felt that pain deep, and she saw the regret wash over Delia's face as soon as the words left her mouth. The only sign of the betrayal on Clarice was the gathering of moisture in her eyes. After all, Delia had witnessed the stabbing, saw the fear on Clarice's face as she feared for her unborn child's life, her own life. She had been there when the infection nearly killed both of them. She knew all too well the guilt that Clarice carried with the incident, and she used a piece of Clarice's personal life to hurt her. A piece of her life that only Delia, medical professionals, and a couple officers knew about.

She just spat it down a staircase at her best friend while their colleagues processed a crime scene only a few yards away.

Delia back-pedaled fast. "Clarice-"

A hand lifted, palm facing out. With her other hand, sunglasses were removed from the neckline of her blouse and slid onto her nose, hiding her eyes behind the black shades. "Don't. Just don't say anything else. Better aiming? Pretty sure you just hit his mark for him."

"It was a mistake." Delia tried to explain.

"You just told me, and everyone else here, that my kid should be dead!" Clarice yelled back at her. "The same girl who you used to be proud to call your niece. The little girl who would watch old westerns with you. The little girl who wrote about you for a paper about a person they admired. The little girl who you loved, that I love more than anything else in this world."

Delia shook her head, but Clarice continued. "I'll make it really easy for you. You think that animal should've aimed better and killed me and Bella? It's done. We're both dead to you now. Dracula's Bride and Hannibal's Little Cannibal. Thank you for being as clever as the _Tattler_."

Before another word could be said by either party, Clarice turned back around and continued down the stairs, ignoring the sideways glances from agents coming up or going down the stairs with evidence bags. The only new information they had learned from the argument was about her stabbing. She had heard all of them say one of the two nicknames at least once in her time at the Bureau, and she was sure those rumors were going to swirl again from this encounter.

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	29. Chapter 29

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"Are you going to be here when I wake up?" Bella asked as she peered up at Hannibal. After enjoying a bowl of the soup he made and light talk, Hannibal had insisted that she get some more rest. She couldn't exactly deny that she was tired. As they talked, it wasn't until the third jerk of her drowsing body that made Hannibal chuckle and stand with her blanket.

Now, he stood over her, tucking her back into the burrito as if performing surgery. Every move was precise. If she was protected beneath the warmth of her blanket, nothing could penetrate to harm her in her sleep. But, she was fighting off the sandman, even with the nighttime medication now draining down into her stomach. She had requested it, but she didn't want to sleep if it meant Hannibal leaving.

"Probably not." Hannibal stated, sitting down on the coffee table behind him carefully. "I fear I am still a danger to you and your mother. My staying here is not safe, but I will stay until your mother arrives back from work."

"Why do you have to go?" Bella asked with a whine. The medication was kicking in and reducing the barrier between her thoughts and her words. "You just got here, and you didn't say goodbye the last time." She turned on her side to meet his eyes despite her drooping eyelids. "I don't want you to go. If the killer shows up, couldn't you just kill him? I know you know how to do that."

Hannibal smiled and caressed her cheek soothingly. "I do. But, I would prefer to handle him while you are out of his reach. Remember? It is my worst fear to see any harm come to you or your mother. Quid pro quo, darling? What is it you fear the most, my little bird?"

Bella sighed as she felt Hannibal readjusting the blanket with her new position on the couch. "Being lonely my entire life."

"You have your mother and I. You will never be alone." Hannibal reassured her.

"No," Bella shook her head, "I don't mind being alone. I don't want to be lonely." She shoved her hand out of the blanket and reached for Hannibal's, feeling the scar on the back of his hand from his surgery long before she was conceived. "I go to school, to the mall. There could be dozens, hundreds, of people around and I'm lonely. I don't have to hide from you or Mom. I don't have to pretend to be a normal person of society."

Hannibal leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I promise you. You will never have to hide again. Run maybe, but never hide."

Bella smiled softly as her eyes closed. "I never had to hide from Joe either."

"Joe?" Hannibal's brows furrowed together hearing the name of a man in his daughter's life that he didn't know about. "Who is that?"

"My ex-boyfriend." Bella admitted, her words quieter now as the sandman forced his will over her. "I loved him, but he went to college up in New York. I didn't want him to regret me in twenty years when he looked back and realized he didn't have the full college experience, including the girls." She squeezed his fingers with her own, lacing them together. "I never had to hide from him either."

Hannibal listened as Bella's breathing evened out. He kept their fingers intertwined together as his other hand reached back for the stuffed hawk. He set the animal down on the couch in front of Bella, and her other arm hugged the toy to her chest like a toddler would to their blanket.

He watched her sleep even when Clarice walked in. He listened as she tossed aside her FBI credentials and weapons, kicked off her shoes, and hung up her jacket before sitting on the coffee table beside him. Her head came to rest on his shoulder as they both stared at their sleeping daughter. "Long day?"

"Very." Clarice confirmed before looking up at him and receiving a soft kiss on the lips. "I think my friendship with Delia has ended."

"What happened to cause that?" Hannibal asked. He had known of her friendship with the other agent since Starling was just a student in training. The only major relationship outside of him and Bella ending was something he expected to happen over years of her with him, not suddenly weeks before she was due to disappear.

Clarice sighed and welcomed his arm wrapped around her in an embrace. "She brought up all the old rumors about our love affair and Bella being yours. She said that if Bella was really yours the man that stabbed me should've aimed better. How could she say that? She'd rather Bella be dead than have your DNA."

Hannibal kissed her temple. "She will never understand. The world will never understand until they are forced to. They are stuck in their bubbles where people like me are categorized as monsters and children like Bella are considered pawns. They would dictate you a traitor despite your many years of loyal service and setbacks from male dominance and arrogance in the field. You may want her to be on your side in this, but we are already targets in her future endeavors."

"I told her that Bella and I are dead to her." Clarice stated. "Disappearing wouldn't seem that out of the blue now."

Hannibal hummed in agreement. "Don't worry, Clarice. We will show the world what they need to understand about us someday." He rubbed his thumb over the back of Bella's hand. "Who is Joe?"

Clarice glanced to their sleeping daughter before looking up at Hannibal. "Her first real love. Joseph Mackenzie. They dated for a little over a year before Bella decided to end things when it turned long distance. He was a good one. Smart. Handy. I think he's going to school for architecture. Something like that Bella said. She was _alive_ around him." She saw the confliction in his eyes. "Why did she mention him?"

"She said her worst fear in the world was being lonely. Other than you and myself, she said that she could be herself around a boy named Joe. She didn't want to live in a world where she had to pretend to be someone else." Hannibal confessed. "She's ready to leave."

"She is." Clarice confirmed before kissing his cheek. "Are you afraid that she'll look back at this moment as her teacup that won't ever come back together?"

Hannibal nodded once. "The chances of her finding a love that will not turn us in are slim if possible at all. The best outcome for her would involve us being in her life on a limited basis, and she would be forced to pretend to someone she should be able to share her life with. Her worst fear would become her reality. I don't know if she sees that in her future yet."

Clarice took his free hand into hers and squeezed gently. "I'm sure you thought of that and already have a plan to remind her."

"I do." Hannibal nodded before kissing Clarice's forehead. "As much as I would like to stay, I need to go before our killer finds out I'm here." He could hear the teacup shatter in his mind as Bella's hand slipped from his grasp. He just hoped that after she was reminded of what her future could hold that he wouldn't be forced to let go of her hand again after the weekend.

* * *

_"Bella, Bella, Bella. I look forward to the days where I can call your name through the hallways of our future home, where we can all be a family. As it should be."_

_"In the last tape I gave you, I asked you some questions that probably had you reflecting on your life as much as I have been reflecting on mine. My outlook on the world has changed many times in my life. It has changed since I learned of your existence. I thought for many years that the desire to protect another would only rest with Mischa. Then, I met your mother. After just our first meeting, I killed a man who disrespected her. When it comes to you, the urge to protect is stronger if not the same."_

Bella let the words take over her thoughts, still lost in her dream scape sleeping on the couch.

_"I have wondered what would be of our lives now if Clarice had run away with me, if I had come back to check on my lamb to discover you, my little bird. Your mother told me that she found the smell of blood enticing while she carried you. To watch her grow swollen with you while consuming one of my more decadent meals is rather enticing. I imagine what it would've been like to know you growing up."_

_"I can hear the pitter pat of tiny feet smacking on the hardwood floors of my study and picture a giggling, brown-haired little girl whirling about as I play the piano."_

Bella's dreams swirled as Hannibal's words invaded them. She could see the little girl dancing about without a care in the world around Hannibal seated at the piano. She could also see Clarice standing in the doorway, smiling as the scene unfolded.

"_I would have loved to expose you and your mother to the brilliant museums I have attended over the years. Carry you on my hip or hold your hand while I pointed to my favorite paintings and you two point to yours."_

The little girl morphed into one a little older, clinging to both Hannibal and Clarice's hands as they swung her up in front of the museum entrance. Touring the museum listening to the stories behind the art from her father. Curling up onto her mother's shoulder, held in her arms, as Hannibal inquired of any new exhibits or pieces being added. The little girl was exhausted by the end of the tour and was carried home, struggling to stay awake.

_"What do you imagine of me? Something more traditional like teaching you to ride a bike or catch a ball?"_

No. She imagined sitting on the kitchen countertop and assisting Hannibal in creating delicious dinners and desserts. Taking her into the study to teach her to play the piano. Maybe he would draw her playing as a child with the wings of a hawk the way he drew her mother as the lioness or of her holding the lamb. She could imagine him and Clarice playing a smarter version of hide and seek in a large backyard, improving her skills in both areas. The face he probably made before biting into his victims made the little girl giggle as she found him hiding in the branches of a tree. With mouth agape and teeth bared, he wound pounce down into the grass and sweep her off of her feet into his arms with praise for finding him.

_"I must tell you. I'm sure I wouldn't have been the traditional father most of your friends probably grew up with."_

* * *

Bella smiled softly as her eyes opened. She was still on the couch. Instead of Hannibal, Clarice was sitting in the armchair by her feet with her attention focused on the TV. The walkman was resting on the coffee table, the cords to her earphones dangling over as the buds rested in her ears.

Clarice's eyes moved to her daughter when she started moving, taking the small devices out of her ears. "Hey, baby. How are you feeling?"

"Better." Bella breathed before turning off the walkman. She smiled at her, chuckling softly thinking of her dream. "He definitely isn't the traditional father."

Clarice laughed and shook her head. "No, he is not."

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	30. Chapter 30

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Bella walked out of her room when she heard more banging on the front door of the townhouse. It had happened twice already. Two loud bangs, like a fist, wracking the front door. Someone was calling out through the door, but she couldn't tell who it was until finally seeing the silhouette of the person now. "Why aren't you answering the door?"

"She's no longer welcome here." Clarice said bluntly, sitting on the bottom few stairs and glaring at the front door. "It's probably better this way."

"Exactly why isn't she welcome here anymore?" Bella asked, joining her mother by sitting on the stairs next to her. She swung her shoulder bag around to rest in her lap. "She's been your best friend longer than I've been alive, longer than Dad's been in your life. What could she have done that was so horrible-"

Clarice didn't turn her head, or even pause with the information. "She said that she'd rather you be dead than be Hannibal Lecter's daughter. She said we'd be better off if my attacker had stabbed me the way he wanted to when I was pregnant with you." Her arm wrapped around Bella, bringing her against her chest. "I don't care how she feels about Hannibal or what she knows about him. Wishing a child dead just because of who their father is, especially my daughter, is more insane than carving up Krendler's brain for an appetizer."

Bella wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. "Just because we disappear doesn't mean she won't look for us. As soon as college starts next fall, she'll be out in Europe tracking me down to figure out what's happened to us. I'll be a danger to you and Daddy as long as I'm traceable."

"Your father has already got a few new IDs for the two of us. You'll be in Europe during college. In the summers, you'll be flying to Argentina or wherever Hannibal and I are under another name." Clarice explained before two more bangs sounded. Delia could see them just as much as they could see her. The glass had a fogged design on the glass, but there were spaces you could see through. "But, you will be watched closely, especially if they discover the new birth certificate your father is trying to manage with his name on it."

"So, I'll have to disappear after college." Bella concluded.

Clarice hummed softly, seeing her daughter's point. "I guess so. Kind of defeats the point of getting a degree, doesn't it?"

Bella smirked. "At least, studying psychology, I'll learn how to fuck over people's minds and know what Dad is talking about."

Clarice giggled into Bella's hair before kissing her forehead. "If you ever get someone to swallow their own tongue, I'll be impressed and disturbed." She squeezed Bella again before tilting her head towards the hallway. "Go get something to eat before we leave. I'll deal with Delia." She let Bella go down the hallway and turn the corner before standing herself and trotting down the two steps before opening the front door.

"Look, I'm-" Delia began, but Clarice cut her off.

"Sorry?" The single word sent a chill down Delia's spine with the amount of venom in it. It was two syllables, but she made it sound like one. Dangerous like the rattling of a snake tail. "Sorry that you said it or sorry that the knife-wielding maniac didn't kill me and my daughter? So what if she was Lecter's kid? That doesn't make her him."

"You know I didn't mean it, Clarice." Delia pleaded, eyes desperate. Clarice briefly wondered if Hannibal would choose this moment to cut her off at her knees or wait for her to sink lower. "I love you. I love Bella. I was just angry. You can't blame me for that with how you've been acting."

Clarice scoffed. "With how I've been acting. I gave you professional advice, and you didn't like that it didn't fit with your theory. I don't care how fucking mad you are. You don't tell me that you'd rather have my kid dead than have her share DNA with someone else. You don't tell someone that you want their kid dead. Not when I've carried her for nine months and raised her for seventeen years by myself. I'd rather her have Dr. Lecter's DNA than Krendler's." She saw the shock wash over Delia's face. "Yes, I've heard I just said it. The rumor has been around long enough for me to think about it. I've heard all the rumors of who could possibly be Bella's father."

Delia sighed and shook her head. "I don't know how else to say I'm sorry. I said it out of anger, not because I meant it."

Bella stepped around the corner with her arms crossed. "You still said it."

"You told her!" Delia's eyes went wide with surprise, not aware that the teenager was nearby.

Clarice shrugged. "You told me that the knife should've killed us if Lecter was her father. I didn't want her talking to someone who thinks we should be dead under special circumstances. Besides, I didn't want her to be disappointed when she found you weren't at her performance tomorrow night."

"It's very rude to tell someone you'd rather have them dead than alive." Bella added before covering her chest with fake horror. "Oh my God! I must be Dr. Lecter's child. I suddenly have the urge to eat the rude." She rolled her eyes. "It'd make my life a lot easier if I could do that."

"I think you need to leave." Clarice stated. Despite her anger, she was still sad for this relationship to end. But, this was crucial. "Good luck with the Beer Can Killer case."

Bella watched as Clarice closed the door and leaned against it with a small smile to her. "This isn't going to stop her from looking for us when we leave."

Clarice sighed. "No, it won't. At least, it won't be a complete shock to her when we do leave though. It'll buy us some time." She moved away from the front door and headed for the kitchen to grab a few more things. "But, she isn't the one after us right now."

* * *

Bella watched as her teacher explained a history lesson she was already three chapters ahead of with her own timetable of when things needed to be done. She pretended, nonetheless, to take notes for the sake of the teacher not calling on her. He was a stickler for calling on kids who seemed to think they could just retain the information like a sponge. To the class, she appeared to be completely focused on the lesson. Little did they know, Hannibal's voice filled her ears.

_"I would imagine you would bring this tape to school with you as you did with the last one. I still don't know if it brings you the calm as it once did. The photo books your mother has given me have been enlightening. Like I told you, I never dreamed of becoming a father after my arrest. Some of the photos, it's hard to believe your mother wasn't arrested or your DNA tested. Compared to the memory of my baby pictures from my mother's room, the only way to distinguish you from me is the choice of clothing. In other pictures, you look like your mother. The letters she wrote are in great detail as well."_

_"It makes me wonder what you thought of your childhood. You know what mine was like. I'm sure Clarice has told you about hers in some detail. So, how about another quid __pro __quo, my little bird? Since you are in school, I'm sure you have paper on hand. I will ask a few questions. You write down your answers. At the bottom of the page, you can write down any questions you may have for me."_

Bella flipped over to a clean piece of paper and smoothed it down before the first question was asked.

_"What is your favorite memory from childhood? It does not have to be significant. I once asked your mother this question, and she told me of how her father used to cut off orange peels and share slices with her."_

Bella smiled and let her pen fly against her paper, labeling her answer with the question he asked above it.

-Having nights with just Mom. It might have only been her and I when I was growing up, but work kept her away a lot. Any nights I could have her all to myself were my favorite. We'd curl up on the couch with a large bowl of popcorn and watch movies in the dark. She devoted that time to me. I'm sure she opened up her case files once she put me to bed or she retreated to her room for the night, but she saved that time for me.

_"You know mine. Now, I'd like to know yours. What is your worst memory?"_

The memory brought an anxiety that always emerged from remembering it. Her thumb hit the pause button on the walkman, tucked inside the pocket of her sweatshirt. The tip of her pen stayed millimeters away from the paper until she could take a deep breath and figure out just how to word it.

-When I was seven or eight, Delia came to school in the middle of the day to pick me up. It's the only time it's ever happened. Mom had been shot twice, the arm and in the ribs. It was the first time I ever remember thinking I might lose her. We had to sit in the waiting room for hours while she was in surgery. Even when they finally let us in, I was still terrified. Mom hadn't woken up yet. I held her hand and tried to talk to her, but she didn't even flinch. I didn't want to leave her. So when Delia told me it was time to go, she had to drag me out of the room kicking and screaming. I just remember thinking that if I left she would be gone. We had maybe gotten halfway down the hallway to the elevators when Mom came out of nowhere with her I.V. stand and took me from Delia. I still don't know how she did it, but she carried me all the way back to her room and held me against her chest with my head on her shoulder. Delia tried to take me home a number of times that night, but I wasn't letting her go and she wasn't letting me go. I remember her even threatening Delia that she wasn't going to take me away from her. Whenever someone would come visit her, she insisted that I sit with her and that I wasn't going out with anybody. I stayed with her the entire time she was in the hospital.

Bella read over the last answer again with a deep breath before reaching back into her pocket and resuming the tape from Hannibal.

_"When you first found out I was your father, you admitted that it relieved you. That my being your father had quieted the worries you had for years about who your actual father could be. Tell me, when did you accept that my being your father was better than someone 'normal' as you worded it?"_

She smiled remembering the whirlwind of a night, or what she could remember from the night.

-As I grew up, I heard people talk about how you were a monster. I heard the stories about you from agents in the Bureau who had read your file. I don't think I ever found you scary though, or a monster. Mom would talk about you, and she knew you as a person, not the monster that they all claim you are. I guess I just always thought of you as another person, but I knew what you were capable of. I was more relieved than anything that my father was someone that Mom actually cared for. I didn't realize the extent of her feelings until recently, but I was still glad. I grew up begging for information about who my father was, and she was always evasive about it. I feared the worst. That I was brought into this world by a man who didn't want me or worse who took advantage of her. I don't know when I accepted you as a better option, but it probably started early with the way Mom talked about you.

_"Alright, my little bird. Write down any three questions you would like to ask me. Fold the paper up and place it under your pillow when you get home. Since I never got to play tooth fairy, I guess this is the best chance I'll ever get. I will pick up the paper and deliver another one back to you in the same place when I answer your questions."_

_"Keep out a close eye. Remember, I'm watching as well. Stay safe, my little bird. With all my love, your dear old dad."_

Bella held her breath to keep from chuckling, but the grin on her face was a mile wide. Ripping the page out of her notebook, she folded it up before writing on the lined paper again. "Love you too, Dad."

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	31. Chapter 31

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Hannibal sat on the building across the street from the stack of apartments the presumably dead Liam H. L. Graw resided in up until the FBI claimed it as a crime scene yesterday. There were still officials entering and leaving the building with evidence, most of it files. Clarice was right when she said the apartment had tons of files. Will Graham was doing his research on something, maybe something bigger than the Beer Can Killer case. If Ardelia Mapp, or whatever her married name was, had mentioned to Will that she suspected himself of being the Beer Can Killer, Will would certainly be ready to dig back into the good doctor's files.

Arriving with the wish to look at the apartment himself, Hannibal found the task too risky today. With the FBI keeping close eyes on it and agents parading in and out, his own assessment of the scene would have to wait.

He turned his back to the edge of the building and returned to the small perch that just reached his waist height. Cords wired through to the internet connection of this building allowed him to view his other priorities on the protected laptop he had 'borrowed' as well. There were multiple screens showing the halls and classrooms of the school, and it allowed him to view Bella travel from class to class and participate in the material that he was sure she was already well versed in.

Today, she wore a burgundy sweatshirt, plastered with Mount Vernon. The bulge of the walkman sat in the front pocket, accessible for both hands to reach it. She wore dark jeans, faded at the knees, and jeweled on the back pockets in a design he couldn't quite make out. On her feet, a pair of black boots that he had found to be steel-toed when he snooped around her room while she was sleeping. If you knew they were there, you could see the black cord of her earbuds reach up from underneath the neckline of her sweatshirt, hiding in her long brown hair.

His little bird seemed to walk on air through the hallways and among her peers. Unlike the others who flocked to their friends, she held her head high, not needing a friend to accompany her into the bathroom or to her locker. Much like the red-tailed hawk that hunted in the forest surrounding his bed and breakfast, she was a solitary animal. The interactions most teens would claim they would die without were of no concern to her, and it gave him another string of hope that his daughter was more like him than he originally thought.

The cameras were a good idea.

And, they weren't just used to spy on his little bird.

Much to his surprise, the young Krendler wasn't the sitting duck he had assumed he would be. Lucky for him he didn't take after his father in that respect. He did gather in a pack though. The jocks that qualified as his friends during glory days seemed to work with him, like a pack. Much like Harris's Hawk. The bird of prey hunted in packs, enabling for bigger animals to fall victim to them. With his end goal being Bella, the lettermen jackets spread through the hallways and waited for the ambush.

They didn't get far, and Hannibal didn't think Bella would use his advice this quickly.

The first jock that stepped in front of was just as surprised.

The other jocks that had started to move in, including Chet, all froze when Bella wrapped her hand around the back of the first guy's neck and pulled him down to her lips. She pulled him with such force that it caused her to lean back slightly. Even with the working pixels of the cheap security cameras, Hannibal could see the working of her jaw.

As sudden as the kiss was, it ended just the same. The ambush was averted, and Bella walked by as if nothing had happened at all. Her act caused the young boys to turn on each other. Chet held up his first to the poor bastard that Bella had kissed.

She may not have used her teeth, but she certainly used her tongue.

* * *

Clarice dug through her old Dr. Hannibal Lecter file boxes in her office closet. The boxes were permanently checked out to her since the Bureau knew that Hannibal was less likely to kill her compared to their other agents. The remains of her work station, Hannibal's House, were all there, and she knew that another agent could eventually catch up to them again with everything she collected. She spent months infiltrating his mind, his tastes, and eventually came to the conclusion then that he had a taste in her. At the time, it could've been for a number of things, the same said for her attraction to him, but both their memory palaces made up for the things lost in their pasts.

No one could ever truly know the depths of his memory palace. She was still exploring herself as he was hers, but a lot of this evidence could lead right to their front door - physical and mental. She would have to be careful of what she took with her and what she disposed of. These files would most likely go back to storage until they caught a whiff of what they assumed was Hannibal, but she couldn't be too careful.

They would all eventually find out the truth, but she wasn't just going to give it to them. Enough had been sacrificed between the two of them.

"What are you doing?"

A glance over her shoulder to Bella. After picking her up from school, they had snuck back into the building and to her office without gaining Delia's attention. Bella had been fully focused on her homework, nearly done with a couple of her classes, when she noticed Clarice's absence from her desk. When she looked into the closet, she found a case file memorial to her father. Boxes upon boxes with cases numbers and his pictures. The treasure trove of everything Lecter. Everything but his mask that was.

Clarice continued to pick through the files. "Determining what could lead Delia back to us once we're gone with your father." She grinned pulling out the ridiculous questionnaire that Jack Crawford had given to her all those years ago to slide into Hannibal's cell with the metal food tray. Not a single question was filled out, but Hannibal did draw a small rough sketch of a Starling where his name should've gone. She handed it to Bella. "Here. See if you can draw like him."

Bella took the packet, sitting down at her mother's desk so she could still see Clarice in the closet. "Do you think he liked you way back then?"

"Probably not the way he does now, but he had enough respect not to humiliate me outright. Miggs had already done that for both of us." Clarice shivered from the memory, still regretting the small glance into Miggs's cell. Although, things could have turned out differently between her and Hannibal if she hadn't. "He wanted to help me, and that's further than anybody else ever got with him. He probably sensed our stars aligned long before he ever mentioned it to me."

"If you take away the whole fear of being eaten and the prison glass, it's kind of romantic." Bella smiled with a small chuckle. "Everybody believes he's incapable of love."

Clarice pulled out another file and retrieved a few pages that weren't marked in Crawford's original reports, pages that she had added only months before Bella was conceived. "Nobody understands him like we do, baby. You know he adores you, right?"

Bella shrugged with a smirk. "I am pretty amazing." She laughed with Clarice freely before continuing her drawing. "I know he does. Looks like my Christmas wish will finally come true this year. I'll have my dad this year."

* * *

Clarice stretched out her legs standing at the entrance to the national forest, her phone pressed to her ear. "Alright, don't open the door for anyone. I should be back by seven." She glanced around the trees, now bare of their dying leaves. "Nobody should be bothering you with Winnie there. If you need anything-"

"I know. I know. Call you. I should be the one saying that. Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be running _alone_? You may have hand to hand combat training, but I don't think it's wise to risk it." Bella stated, worried about her mother running alone. It may be her favorite spot, far from the known parks of the Beer Can Killer, in a place her mother knew best. But, she was still alone.

"I may have come out here alone, but you know as well as I do that your father would never let me. He has gone halfway around the world just to watch me run." Clarice smirked. She couldn't feel his presence now, but she knew it wouldn't be long. "I'll text you when I leave to come home." With a quick goodbye, she ended the call and slipped the phone into her athletic jacket, zipping the pocket closed to ensure she wouldn't lose it along the trails. Leaving the safety of her car, she took off in a sprint as her ponytail swung and bounced behind her.

The leaves covering the trails crunched under her feet and the birds that hadn't left for the winter chirped in the branches above. With fall coming to a close in just a month, the brisk air felt good on her heated skin and filled her lungs in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. The same kind of shiver that always invaded her when she felt Hannibal's eyes on her, raking over her. She felt it again when she was a considerable distance from her car.

He was watching.

The smile spread across her lips, and she didn't need to turn to know he was moving from tree to tree as if on the hunt for her. Like a wolf stalking its prey. The thought of him hunting her used to frighten her when she first heard of his escape from Memphis. However as the years went by, it sent an ache between her legs and an addictive throb through her body. The point where her fear turned to arousal could never really be pinpointed, just like her disgust over her arousal towards him turning to craving. The world discarded him, and he was hers now. That thought sent another shiver down her spine before she heard the leaves move to her right.

Turning just in time, she caught Hannibal by surprise. Her lips crushed against his passionately as his body pinned her to the large trunk of a nearby tree. His arm kept her from falling to the ground before he used the tree to stabilize her on her feet, and his hands were tugging at the fabric of her yoga pants. Obviously the hunt for her had turned him on as much as it did her. She gasped against his lips when he thrust two fingers inside of her. "Took you long enough to get here. I was half expecting you to scout the trail beforehand."

Hannibal laid open-mouthed kisses along her neck and jaw, his small white teeth grazing her skin. "I had to stop by the house to retrieve something. I came, didn't I?"

"I hope you're planning for both senses of the word 'came.'" Clarice admitted, gripping onto his shoulder and upper arm. The muscles of his arm worked under her hand, using them to manipulate his fingers curling inside her.

"That would be a rather crude assumption of me, Clarice." Hannibal's words sent another wave through Clarice, and she bucked her hips against his hand.

She pulled his hand from her and sucked off the digits, moaning as his eyes darkened even more as he gazed at her. "I'm not looking for you to be polite right now, Doctor. We've been doing polite since you showed up in my house. I want you raw and unguarded and performing every scenario you ever fantasized about." She bit the tip of his finger, grating her teeth gently along his flesh. "Did you ever visualize scenarios, exchanges, fucking me?"

Hannibal's smile was one of pride and menace. He leaned down to her ear and inhaled her scent once before the deep voice reserved for her flooded her senses. "Turn around." He licked his lips as she turned around and placed her palms on the trunk of the tree. With nimble fingers, he pulled her pants and panties down further before revealing his erection and thrusting inside of her.

The gasp that flew from her was one of surprise as her back arched. He grabbed her right shoulder with one hand while the other went to her hip, allowing him complete leverage over her body. He gathered his composure for a second before letting it drain from him, leaving only the possessive man who wanted nothing more than to tear her apart from the inside out. Leaving nothing but her bones and a satisfied smile.

His thrusts were rough and Clarice grinned with each whimper. She wasn't expecting an answer to her question, but it was his turn to surprise her as he fucked her from behind. "I imagined fucking you against the glass of my prison cell. I'd only allow your back to be pressed against it to preserve your honor, but I longed to see who dare try to come near as I claimed you as my own. Many never dared to get too close to the glass, and anyone who did would run when I snarled at them. I imagined what it would've been like to snarl at anyone who dare come close to what was mine, because you are mine, Clarice. I hope you know that."

"As much as you are mine, Hannibal. I know it." Clarice panted. She grunted when his hips smacked into hers harder, and the sound echoed off the trees around them. "Show me. Show me what you would've done if someone got too close."

The hand on her shoulder pulled her back before his face came into her peripheral. She didn't have the chance to turn her head when his teeth sunk into the flesh between her neck and shoulder, encouraging a cry to rip from her throat. He snarled into her skin, just like he promised, and his thrusts didn't falter. The hand that dug into her hip moved to seatbelt her against him, his hand cupping the breast she had promised to him. Her hands, no longer in reach of the tree, flew over her head behind her, grasping onto any part of Hannibal she could reach.

His hand fell from her shoulder and moved between her legs, seeking out her clit. He pressed against it firmly before she blew apart in his arms, suppressing another cry by biting her lip. Her walls clamped around him like a vice, and he growled as he fell over the edge with her.

Clarice shivered in the aftershocks and the feel of Hannibal's tongue running over the bite on her sensitive skin. His nose skimmed her neck and behind her ear with each pass, and she moaned softly turning her head towards him. "I love you, Hannibal."

"And I you, Clarice." Hannibal smiled before withdrawing from her. They both readjusted their clothes, readjusting each other's clothes, before he held out his hand to her. "I shall walk you back to your car."

"Polite as always." Clarice smirked before taking his hand and walking with him along the trail back to her car. "I enjoy both sides of you. I do hope I can see more of both when we leave this place."

Hannibal chuckled with his fingers intertwined with hers. "I have a feeling you will bring it out of me when you deem the time is right." He leaned over and kissed her head, content with walking and holding her hand in this moment. "And, I look forward to those surprises."

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	32. Chapter 32

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Clarice's hand reached for her gun before her eyes opened. The first blare of her alarm system and the bang from downstairs brought her to her feet, and she was quick to leave her bedroom with her gun trained out in front of her. She could see the front door halfway open, the doorknob and locks busted, and the rug was bunched in the corner. Whoever tried to break in had left as soon as her alarm system had blared, flashing lights around the entryway.

When Bella's bedroom door opened, she motioned towards her own bedroom. "I'll check the house. The alarm company is going to call my cell. Tell them someone tried to break in. Tell them to send over a squad car." She waited until Bella hurried into her room, baseball bat in hand, and heard the ringing of her phone on her nightstand.

With her gun still ready to fire, Clarice descended down the stairs and cleared the main floor before punching in the code for the alarm system to turn off. The lights in the foyer flipped on, and she did another sweep to check for anymore evidence. Her eyes scanned up the doorframe and stopped at a single speck of blood speared just inside the lock mechanisms. Her grip tightened on her gun once again as she reached out to the door with her foot. With a light tap, the door swung fully open and allowed her to see the front side.

In enough blood to still be dripping down the door, the message was clear. "Bella!"

Bella hurried out of Clarice's room with the phone still pressed to her ear, but she nearly dropped it when she saw what Clarice had discovered. A pile of cut beer cans sat on their doorstep and blood covered the front door, creating the written message - **She's next!** Below the words, a poster of the Roman Goddess with her same name was sliced open where the wrists were. The blood that had been used to write the words had also been used to paint blood pouring out of the wrists and more of it had been speared between the goddess's legs.

"Tell them to send the FBI, and call your father."

* * *

Bella sat on the stairs staring at the display that had been painted on the front door when she heard the sliding glass door in the back open up. After getting off the phone with Hannibal, she came back down and felt the emotions building suddenly go numb. The wait for reality to sink in was only delaying what she was dreading, but she couldn't seem to snap out of the haze she was in.

Clarice was crouched in front of her, trying to get her eyes to look at her or at anything other than the door. She didn't want to touch it or close it for evidence reasons, but she was tempted to just say to hell with it. She looked around the stairs when the back door opened to reveal Hannibal. He had changed his appearance slightly since their front door was on display, but she knew he would have to hide upstairs before Delia and her team members arrived.

"My God." Hannibal breathed when his own gaze took in the assault to the door. Despite how horrific the depiction of Bella was, the scent of the blood caught Hannibal's attention most. "It's Will's."

"What?" Clarice asked, turning to look at him staring at the door.

Hannibal took a deep breath. "The blood. It's Will's. It's not fresh though." He turned to Clarice and Bella. "Have they gotten the DNA back on the blood at his apartment?"

"No, they're still backed up on the last victim." Clarice sighed before her attention moved back to Bella. "Hey, baby, I need you to focus and come back to me. I know this isn't easy, but I need you to snap back."

Hannibal kneeled beside Clarice. "She's in shock." He took Bella's chin into his fingers and moved her face towards him. Her eyes were dull, but they finally pulled away from the drying blood. "It would be better for statements if she stayed like this until the FBI is done here."

Clarice pulled Bella against her, laying her daughter's head on her shoulder. "A serial killer just threatened her with rape and murder on our front door. The sooner she comes back to herself, the sooner she can protect herself again. I don't give a damn about statements or who comes walking through here. I'm not just going to leave her defenseless to make somebody else's job easier."

"She needs time, Clarice." Hannibal whispered. "We are right here. Both of us. Nothing is going to get to her here." He cupped the back of her head comfortingly. Their safety was his reassurance while Bella had been Clarice's only silence since he left. Now that the outside world was threatening her lamb yet again, the voices were probably circling the horizon. He could hear the door creaking open to Mischa's room in his memory palace. "The shock will run it's course. She should be fine in an hour or two. Keeping her in front of this isn't helping her though."

"Who's doing this?" Bella asked. Her voice sounded haunted, and it pained Hannibal's ears.

Hannibal gently prodded her out of Clarice's arms and into his own before carrying her towards the living room sofa to face away from the front door. Clarice was on his heels, quickly wrapping a blanket around Bella's shoulders. "My little bird, you said yourself that the young Krendler made the threat to harm you sexually."

Bella sat on the couch like a zombie, but her mind was clearly in another place. The nail of her index finger ran along the vein of her arm, ending at the wrist. "He wouldn't know about Bellona."

"About the blood sacrifice." Clarice murmured before looking back at the front door. "He wouldn't think to even search that."

"There are only a few who would." Hannibal stated. He squeezed Clarice's hand with his. "Send her up as soon as you can. I'll see if I can help her navigate back to herself." He headed for the stairs, pausing only at the door to take another sniff at the blood. His first inhale was still correct. The blood may have been dripping like paint slathered onto a wall too thick, but it was Will Graham's. Some of the blood smelled fresher in places compared to others, and that sent Hannibal up towards Clarice's room with a puzzle to solve.

* * *

Hannibal waited in the bedroom for almost an hour before the agents allowed Bella to come upstairs, and a part of him wanted to have a word with them about keeping a child up on a school night. Bella looked like she could have laid down and died in her state of shock, and Hannibal was running thin on patience when the image continued to fester until she opened the door.

The light from the foyer flooded in just past Clarice's wardrobe and quickly evaporated when Bella closed the door behind her. He watched from the chair in the corner, hands steepled under his nose, as Bella sat down at the foot of the bed and stared ahead like she did to the door. Some of the shock had worn off. Her dull eyes now had a thick moisture to them, and he knew her break back to reality was not far from his grasp.

"What did they say?" He asked quietly, knowing that a swarm of FBI agents were still processing downstairs and speaking with Clarice.

"Delia still thinks you're behind all of it." Bella whispered. "The use of the poster oozed too much class and education to her for it to be anybody else. She's only got tunnel vision for you. They aren't going to find the guy doing this."

Hannibal caught her eyes with his. "Tell me, Bella. The display on your front door, while disturbing, put you in a catatonic state that has left an imprint on both your mother and I. What about that image frightened you the most? Was it the bloody written message or the depictions of this Beer Can Killer's plan to kill you?"

Bella gulped. "The person doing this, you believe he is actually after you. If he is willing to do that to me to get to you, what does he want to do to you? What would he do with Mom if he failed with me? Even with his crimes, he has fixated on killing the girls like me from the inside out. Whoever he is, he probably plans on making it as painful for me as possible. But, I'm not the one he hates most."

Hannibal analyzed her assessment, pondering those questions himself. "That's very likely. Does that scare? The thought of that kind of physical pain being inflicted on you because of me."

"I'm scared that he might be sick enough to save me until there's a time where he can force you to watch, force Mom to watch. Or for a time where he has all three of us, and there's nothing we can do to stop it." Bella confessed, hugging herself. "I've learned to handle a lot, but I couldn't handle going through all of that while knowing you and Mom were watching."

Hannibal shook his head. "I will never allow that to happen to you, Bella."

"You might not have a choice." Bella whispered, the large tears now building in her eyes. "He certainly isn't looking to give me a choice, and it's just for being your daughter. I didn't do anything, and a serial killer is targeting me for rape and murder. He tagged my house. We can't control everything."

"I will not accept the possibility of him touching you." Hannibal argued. He kept his voice low, but yelling the words would've held the same impact. He stood from the chair and moved it so he could sit in front of her at the end of the bed. He didn't reach out to touch her, and he feared that this incident would result in Bella deciding she wanted nothing to do with him. With what she was being put through, he wouldn't blame her. "You're right. We can't control everything, but I can control my actions. I can prepare for a situation like the one you described. We can't control what happens, but we can prepare for as much as possible. I am prepared to die to save you if that's what the situation calls for. There is no limit as to what I would do to protect you."

Bella reached up to wipe a rollaway tear from her eye with the sleeve of her shirt. Her hand trembled, and she quickly tried to hide it by hugging both her arms back against her stomach. "I just want to go."

Hannibal nodded once. "When this is all over, you can go anywhere you want. Just name the place."

"No, I want to leave." Bella reiterated. "I want to get on a plane with you and Mom and go to wherever it is our new home will be."

"You still want that life." Hannibal breathed, relief flooding through him.

Bella frowned, wiping at her eyes again. "Don't you want it?"

Hannibal wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the cradle of his arms and holding her against his chest. "Of course, I do. I would love nothing more than to fly away with the two of you to paradise, but I have a feeling this killer of ours isn't going to give up so easy on us."

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	33. Chapter 33

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Hannibal waited until Bella fell asleep in his arms before pulling out a paper from his back pocket with careful movements. Before he had been called about the threatening blood message, before he had met Clarice in the woods, he had bypassed Bella and Winnie to retrieve what he requested underneath his little bird's pillow. After years of being subjected into darkness or hiding, his eyes were used to paying attention to details without proper lighting.

His eyes raked over the words the same way they would a poem. His little bird was as humble as her mother, savoring small moments that happened regularly, that could happen to anyone, instead of memories that would make anyone want to relive them. No, she favored times where she could spend time with Clarice growing up. Even her worst memory, it was of Clarice's pain, not her own. He wondered if Clarice ever thought about Bella's fear over losing her was comparable to the pain she felt when she lost her father at a young age. He remembered the fear of losing his grip on Mischa's hand, the moment that created the monster.

The monster that had never formed in Bellona's mind, that never had the chance to be created with Clarice's parenting.

At the bottom of the page, she had drawn an arrow indicating his questions were on the flip side. He gently turned the loose paper over and held it above Bella's lap, using his arms to prevent her from falling back. The questions were written in heavy ink, a ballpoint pen one could guess.

**\- **Do you wish that you were never caught and still living as a closeted cannibal?  
**\- **How would you feel if I were to turn to cannibalism for the thrill of it instead of just for protection?**  
\- **Why do you call me your little bird?

He gently closed the paper when he heard the soft padding of footsteps on the stairs. The buzz of the FBI investigators had died down long ago, only leaving a couple downstairs to speak with Clarice about preparations for the coming days. With her years of being handyman herself, she managed to to fix the door enough to lock it while they were still questioning her about her discovery of the threat. He held the paper between his thumb and forefinger as Clarice walked in.

Clarice smiled gently when she entered her bedroom. Hannibal sat on the moved armchair, legs kicked up onto the foot of the bed in front of him, with his head tipped back resting against the high back. In his arms, Bella was sound asleep and wrapped in the throw usually tossed onto the end of her bed. The sight would have been heartwarming if there weren't evidence of tears on Bella's cheeks.

"You're awake." Clarice hummed as she walked over to the bed, sitting down beside Hannibal's feet and laying over them with her head on her propped up arm. "How is she doing? I can see the initial shock wore off."

"Her emotions boiled over, yes. As to be expected." Hannibal confirmed, the doctor voice clear even when hushed. "She has yet to accept what is happening, what the threat means. Right now, running away is her answer."

Clarice huffed out a breath before gently adjusting the blanket over Bella to cover her more. "An unfamiliar environment is the last thing she needs right now. This guy isn't going to just give up if we leave. It can't be Krendler."

Hannibal nodded. "Bella and I both came to the same conclusion. They wouldn't ever think to research Roman Goddess Bellona. The young Krendler wants to terrorize her sexually and physically, not psychologically." He held up his fingers with the paper. "We're the only ones who can protect her, Clarice, and I fear her desire to protect us might hinder that."

"What is this?" Clarice asked as she took the folded paper from him. She unfolded it to the side with Bella's answers. "I never asked her these questions."

"I did in the second tape I sent her." Hannibal stated, holding Bella closer to his chest. "Her life has revolved around you and the desire to find her father. Now that she has both of us, she won't let anything take us away from her. She's the descendant of two high rollers, Clarice. I fear her moment is soon, and she will fall and die."

Clarice pushed the paper back into his hand, only skimming the words on the paper while listening to his. "Don't even say that. We're not losing her. This theory of yours may be a hardwired behavior, but we aren't hardwired people, Hannibal. You became a cannibal even with the highest of manners and etiquette taught, and I became the mother to your child even with the FBI shield laying on my bedside table. There is nothing hardwired about us." She was stern with her voice, but after taking in his appearance she knew that the thought had weighed heavily on his mind. The worry lines around his eyes were evidence of that. "We're not going to lose her, Hannibal. She's stronger than either of us."

Hannibal rested his head on Bella's, breathing in the scent of her shampoo that was such a contrast to Clarice's. "That is why the sight of her breaking down was rather troubling tonight, Clarice. While I don't blame her, it is unnerving to know someone intends to harm her, and I have no idea of who it could be. Our main suspects aren't smart enough to fit this profile."

"It's normal to feel that way, Hannibal. She is your blood too. I remember when she was born, and I heard her cry for the first time. I knew it was because of the birth, and the crying is an important part. But to listen to your baby cry and not know how to protect her when it's your job is frightening." Clarice reassured him, gently squeezing his leg underneath her arm. "It's the scariest job in the world, trying to protect your kids. I know that you'll do everything in your power to protect her."

Hannibal, again, held Bella tighter to his chest. "What if my everything isn't enough?"

Clarice sat up and cupped his face in her hands, gently caressing his cheeks. "You were just a boy when Mischa was ripped from you. There wasn't a chance for you to put up a fight. Things are different now. We're both different now. You're not a boy anymore, Hannibal. You're a grown man with an appetite for flesh and a silent grace to attack. The only thing that could hold you back is you."

"And if that happens?" Hannibal questioned again.

Clarice gently kissed him, her lips only skimming his. She didn't know why his confidence with his strongest abilities lacked the most. Maybe the childhood trauma of feeling Mischa's fingers slip from his own was as unforgettable as the memory of her father leaving the house for the last time. He could protect a shark from water if he wanted to, but the fear of losing the ones he loved most, his need to preserve, always created a rift where his confidence should soar. The teacups he had left could never shatter, because he could never make them come back together again.

And, she and Bella were two of his teacups if not his only two.

"You'll have a moment where those pieces snap in place." Clarice whispered. "And in that moment, anything keeping you from your daughter is a target, and nothing will keep you from her. It doesn't matter what state you're in or what weapons they have. She is yours, and you'll fight for her."

Hannibal took in her words before reflecting back to the paper now slightly wrinkled in his palm. "Ah, Clarice, is Bella's worst childhood memory your worst memory as her mother? Did you have this moment then?"

"I had that moment long before that day, but yes. I was shot twice like she remembers, but I also shot and killed three people." Clarice explained. "My job was up for question again, and I knew Bella would be taken for social service interviews if I didn't take her back to the hospital room with me. As much as I used to trust the system, my faith in it disintegrated when they first tried to turn their backs on me. I knew they would use Bella, but I wouldn't let them." She met his eyes. "I did everything I could to protect her and keep her. I know you'll do the same."

* * *

_The darkness lifted and Bella was left strapped to a gurney. Something was over her face, blocking her __peripherals, but her eyes were focused ahead of her. Hanging upside down with loose arms, Hannibal and Clarice were side by side with arms cut along the veins from their elbows to their wrists. Both sets of eyes were wide open, but no life was on the other side of them. The blood that had kept them alive was now pooling in basins below their corpses. _

_That's when she felt the blade piercing her own skin. The restraints on her body prevented her from looking down, but she felt the warmth flood her palms as it drained from her right wrist. Within a few seconds, dizziness set in, and it was hard to keep her eyes on the person with the blade as they entered her field of vision, but she couldn't see their face. "The line of Lecter will end with you."_

Bella's eyes flew open as she shot up from the bed. "No!"

"Bella, what's wrong?" Clarice quickly sat up and cupped her daughter's face in her hands, feeling the wetness from the tears there. She felt the foot of the bed dip as Hannibal hurried to assist. When Bella's arms wrapped around Clarice tightly, she held her back with a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Baby, tell me what's wrong? You're scaring us."

Hannibal saw the primal fear in Bella's eyes as she clung to Clarice and stared down at her wrists. She touched them with shaky hands before she felt for Clarice's arms and looked at his. "Did you have a nightmare?" Her wild eyes met his, but she didn't confirm or deny his question. "Bellona, speak to us."

"C'mon, Bella. It's only us here." Clarice breathed, stroking Bella's hair and holding her against her chest. "There's nothing to fear here."

"He cut both your wrists." Bella whispered in a single breath. "Both of you hung like deer being drained of your blood. I was tied to a gurney. Something was over my face. I couldn't do anything. Then, he started cutting open my wrists."

Clarice absentmindedly ran her own hands over Bella's wrists. "Who did you see?"

"I couldn't." Bella shook her head. "I couldn't see who it was. All he said was that the Lecter line would end with me. That's when I woke up."

"That won't happen." Clarice stated, trying to reassure her daughter. Her eyes met Hannibal's, the message clear in her blue orbs. "We'll make sure of that."

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	34. Chapter 34

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Clarice held the hot cup of coffee in her hands when she heard the stairs creak under body weight. She turned her head in time to see Bella shuffling down the hallway groggily with the stuffed hawk Hannibal got her hugged against her chest. Despite how painful the moment had been, she was glad her daughter woke up from the nightmare to break her out of the fog of her initial shock. "Hey, how you feeling?"

"Like my life is being threatened." Bella rolled her eyes before moving further into the room to see the news playing on the TV. "Another victim?"

"Someone found her this morning. They think she was killed late last night, not far from here." Clarice explained before holding out her arm for Bella, happy when she huddled against her side. She didn't mention that the new victim looked like herself. Last night's events were already traumatic, and Bella had been shaken by her nightmare of seeing both her parents as hanging corpses. In this moment, it was too much information for her seventeen year old. "Your father and I think it would be best for you to go to school today. He can keep an eye on you there, and there are plenty of witnesses. You'll be safer there."

Bella sighed before glancing around the room. "I assume he already left." She didn't need to wait for Clarice's answer. There was an air of his presence, the same kind when Clarice was present. It was like being stared at long enough to feel the eyes on you. Their presence was a feeling more than anything else. "It'd be nice to wake up and actually have him here."

Clarice smiled. "It will happen soon." She stroked Bella's hair, looking back up at the TV. "You have a busy day today. That should keep your mind off of all of this at least. Someone is coming by to fix the door today. An agent is coming by to watch the house. Delia said she'd send over a couple more to watch us today."

"But, that means we can't see Dad." Bella stated with a slight frown.

"I know. I thought of that too." Clarice sighed. "There's no way Delia would let us stay here alone with no one to guard the house, and it's too risky for him to be here with an FBI agent outside. So, it looks like we'll be bumming here together for the weekend." She reached over for the remote and turned the channel before a photo of the victim could be posted up on the screen. "I did manage to keep your agent outside the school across the street from the front doors. I told them you'd be there until tonight's performance was over."

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh shit! I forgot that was tonight. I gotta get ready." She jumped up from the couch and slid across floor with her socks before hurrying up the stairs. When she pushed into her room to gather her things, she nearly missed the lined piece of paper sticking out from underneath her pillow when she tossed her stuffed hawk back onto her bed.

* * *

Clarice walked into the large conference room with her personal watch dog agent behind her. After the incident the night before and Delia's insistence that Dr. Lecter was involved, the big boys called her in for a meeting, wanting to discuss the events with her. Most likely, she'd be asked about the escaped doctor with the men either assessing her answers or pretending to so they could ogle her.

She'd decided on a pantsuit with one of the silk blouses Hannibal had sent her over the years. Just looking at it would raise questions as to how she got it, but asking them directly would also be rude considering she wasn't here to talk about her wardrobe choices. The meeting was called with vague reference as to what it was about, but Clarice didn't need to speculate once she was escorted in to see the head honchos with Delia on the other side of the large table. Part of her wondered how powerful and satisfied she would feel if she walked in with Hannibal's hand in hers, claiming him as hers for the rest of her companions to see.

She imagined shocked faces, stunned and injured egos. Many of the agents she worked with had a pool going on if she was sleeping with Hannibal Lecter, but they make jokes of it. None of them took it seriously. To see her emerge as the lioness instead of the lamb they needed to guide, the looks on their faces would be priceless.

The thought was pushed aside though when the agent on her heels pulled out a chair for her to sit in, which she did gracefully. She leaned back and crossed a leg over the other. If they wanted her to be the scared victim of a blood-smearing crime, they would be very disappointed.

"Agent Starling," the director began. He was most likely here for appearances and would probably guide the meeting for the sake of his ego. "I understand that you have had an eventful night, so I will try to keep this as painless as possible-"

"Where is Dr. Hannibal Lecter?" It was Delia's voice that cut through the director's. The embarrassment showed on everyone else, their cheeks and ears tinging a shade of red. The director gritted his teeth and bore a hole into the table with his eyes, biting his tongue to keep from lashing out.

Clarice kept her smirk to herself, not wanting to look like a smug idiot who wouldn't give up a piece of information. "Your guess is as good as mine." She turned her attention back to the director. "As for last night, I woke up to a loud bang, grabbed my gun, and discovered it was my front door. Both locks were busted, and blood was dripping down from the written message, 'she's next.' I had Bella call a 9-1-1 operator as I secured the house-"

Delia insistance interrupted Clarice this time. "A few of your neighbors said they have noticed an older man coming by your house now for a little over a week."

"Once I secured the house and realized what was on the door, I told Bella to get the FBI involved and waited with her for agents to arrive." Clarice ignored Delia's statement. Yes, Hannibal had come by the house during the day, even through the front door, but answering her questions would only encourage her to continue.

"Do you think that the Beer Can Killer could be Dr. Hannibal Lecter?" The director asked. Obviously, his annoyance with Delia was wearing to fury, because he cast a lethal glance her way out of the corner of his eye.

Clarice shook her head once. "No, I do not. I have voiced this to an agent on the case as well. I studied Dr. Lecter for years, and this is not something he would do. He attacks those who annoy him or hinder his abilities. The Beer Can Killer appears to be targeting women that look similar to my daughter and I. If Dr. Lecter had a problem with me, he would not butcher nine innocent women to send me a message. Although he's a wanted serial killer himself, he doesn't shy away from his victims. He'll mess with them, but he wouldn't do this. If you don't believe me for those reasons, Dr. Lecter eats his victims. None of the nine victims in this case have had organs missing. None of their body parts were missing. Mutilated, yes, but none were taken."

"Is there anyone you or your daughter have a problem with, Agent Starling?" The director continued.

Clarice took a deep breath, letting it be the only noise in the room for a brief second. "My daughter and I have been harassed over the years by Mr. Krendler and his son, but I don't think they could be behind this."

The director frowned. "Why's that? Paul Krendler does still, misguidedly, believe that you are the reason behind Dr. Lecter's attack on him."

Clarice nodded. "I'm aware of that. My daughter goes by Bella though her name is Bellona. Mr. Krendler can hardly remember Bella, let alone her given name. Other than official reports and papers, I'm not sure whether or not his son knows my daughter's name is Bellona, or that there is a Roman Goddess by the same name. That was the poster taped to the door as well, Goddess Bellona."

"That would be something that Dr. Lecter would know about though." Delia stated, glancing between Clarice and the director.

He looked at Clarice expectantly. Only then did she reply. "Yes, he would most likely know of the Roman Goddess Bellona, but I haven't seen him in eighteen years. For all I know, he doesn't even know I have a daughter. I think we've all learned that Dr. Lecter tries to make some sort of contact while he's here in America. I haven't received any type of message from him since I last saw him."

Delia spoke over everyone else again, but her question caused every eye to snap to her. "Is Dr. Lecter the father of your daughter, Agent Starling?"

The room was silent, and Clarice felt the eyes turn back to her. The flush was back to everyone's cheeks, and the director was too speechless to call out Delia on the question from left field. She knew this moment would come some day, but she never expected the words to fall from her best friend's lips.

"I don't think you'll be satisfied unless I say 'yes.'" Clarice started, crossing her arms over her chest. "What do you think happened that night? Do you really think that I sat with Dr. Lecter and feasted on Paul Krendler's brains? Do you think him locking my hair in the fridge was some type of sick foreplay? What about my phone call to police about my location, or when I searched along the shore for the injured doctor? Knowing me the way you do, do you think I would even want to have sex with Paul Krendler babbling in the next room?" She shrugged her shoulders. "If you believe that all that happened, then, yes, Hannibal Lecter would be the father to my child. But, none of that happened. He locked my hair inside the fridge door, so he could escape." She stood from the table, the agent in charge of watching her quickly finding his bearings to follow.

Straightening out her blazer jacket, she looked back at Delia. "But to make you happy and maybe get you off my back about this whole Hannibal Lecter business, yes. Dr. Lecter is her father. It seems you won't believe anything else."

The director stood then, clearing his throat. "Thank you, Agent Starling. I apologize for Agent Mapp's behavior. I will let you get back to your work. We will catch this guy one way or another. Before he can get to you or your daughter."

"Thank you." Clarice nodded once before shaking his hand.

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	35. Chapter 35

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Bella glanced up at her guidance counselor before pulling out the folded paper Hannibal had left on her bed. With her lack of attention to the teachers and the amount of homework she had already finished, the principal allowed her to stay with the counselor in her adjoining conference room. The large table was big enough to seat ten comfortably for dinner, and her things took up about three of those places in her makeshift barricade. She'd felt under threat since the bloody message seared itself into her mind. The worries and anxiety she had been feeling since the FBI invaded her home faded though when she saw Hannibal's script scrawled onto the loose leaf paper from her notebook.

**\- **Do you wish that you were never caught and still living as a closeted cannibal?

_While my lifestyle of running from the authorities is not easy, I do not regret being caught. For one, my life has become quite the adventure. Like you, I have never enjoyed hiding who I am or what I am. I hide myself physically now in order to blend in, but I can be my __true self. While I did enjoy treating people, my patients always left me yearning for a challenge, for an equal. I have found that with your mother. If I had not been caught, the pleasure of knowing her would be lost on me. As well as with you, my little bird. Where would I be if not for your mother and you?  
So, no. I do not wish that I had never been caught. My encounters with officers have been, well, rather enticing when recalling them._

**\- **How would you feel if I were to turn to cannibalism for the thrill of it instead of just for protection?

_This question requires a great deal of thought. On one hand, you and I could share another hobby in common - dining on those we deem fit to find their end. I must admit, I feared what you would be like when Clarice told me of you. Would we share anything in common? Would you shut me out for what you had heard of me? On the other hand, committing the crimes I have puts you at risk. Risk that I would never want for you. But, there may be balance. My list of crimes will not look worse if it gets longer, and I want to give my little bird anything that she desires, especially when it is something I have been doing for years. Then again, you still have yet to taste your own kind._

**\- **Why do you call me your little bird?

_The name came to me when I first saw you. I was waiting to catch a glimpse of your mother, still unaware of your existence, when I spotted you from the park down the street. Obviously, I didn't know who you were or what you were to me, but you carry an __aura, if you will, of freedom. A freeness that your mother and I don't possess because of our childhood traumas. Birds are the freest animals on this planet with the ability to fly, walk, and swim. That first moment, you reminded me of a little canary. With our time together and the experiences you are navigating through, I see you growing into a hawk like the one I gave you.  
__The B&B I stayed in these past few days has a pair of red-tailed hawks that circle the trees at night, and they remind me of you. With glowing eyes and the red flash of feathers, they are beautiful creatures, just like you. While they flash their colors, you speak your mind without much filter, and I find it endearing on you.  
__Now, stay out of trouble. I'll see you tonight, even if you don't see me._

_Love, _

_Dad_

"Bella?" Bella quickly folded the paper and looked up at her guidance counselor, giving her a small smile. The older woman had her phone pressed against her ear, the speaker tilted away from her mouth to address her. "They need you in the office."

* * *

"That was quite brilliant, Clarice." Hannibal's voice, filled with pride, came through the receiver of her burner phone.

After her meeting with the board, she had gotten back in her car, grateful to have the car ride alone. She knew part of the purpose of the meeting was to get her out of the house to see if the Beer Can Killer would show back up at her house or follow her, and she didn't dare leave the burner phone at her house when an agent could be easily sent to do a sweep of her things. The phone would stay with her for the time being, and she was glad that she had it in this moment.

"Why, thank you. I have been observing the best." Clarice smirked, referring to him. "The director looked like he wanted to rip Delia a new one, and he should after she called me out like that. She basically hijacked the whole interview with her assumption that you're behind all of this." She pulled up to a stop light, glancing behind her at the car where her assigned agent was. "Have you gotten the chance to look at Will's apartment yet?"

"No, and I'm afraid I probably won't until Sunday. They finished pulling out evidence, but they have agents posted inside and outside the building. With Bella's performance tonight, my surveillance will have to wait until tomorrow." Hannibal relented as he stood on the rooftop again. He turned to look back at his computer, seeing Bella walking the halls towards the main office. "Until we find the killer, my visits cannot happen."

Clarice sighed, pressing her foot on the gas when the light turned. "Whoever it is, they know how to drain blood properly. You said you could smell old and fresh blood of Will's last night. Someone had to keep him alive long enough to get all of it."

Hannibal ran his scarred hand down his face before pinching his chin between his fingers. "I believe he has been practicing. It's a method used to keep prisoners weak, but the bleeding is stopped so torture can continue. Some prisoners faced months, even years, of torture before their bodies just gave up on them."

"You think he plans on using that on you." Clarice concluded.

"I fear he plans on using it on Bella first, then you, and then me when you both have passed." Hannibal admitted. "He wants me to suffer in the worst way possible, even if that means watching my little bird and my lamb die in front of my eyes."

* * *

"It looks like someone is wishing you good luck." The school receptionist beamed from her desk when Bella walked in. Her desk was close to the back of the room, and a counter separated her desk from the main door to her quarters. She stood, gray perm and glasses as spunky as her personality, and moved to the wrapped box and flowers on the counter. "This just came for you."

Bella tentatively picked up the bouquet of pink and white roses before seeing the white cardstock paper note tucked between them. She plucked it from the petals and opened it to find handwriting she would recognize for the rest of her life.

_Break a leg, Sleeping Beauty. _

She grinned before slipping the note into her pocket where the other one was stashed. She glanced back at the box before setting the flowers down to open it. Even when the receptionist gasped, Bella didn't look up from the gift. Inside was a four horse chariot jewelry box painted mostly in gold. The detail was impeccable and only something Hannibal would pick out. From the looks of it, it was modeled after the chariots of ancient Rome.

"Oh my gosh, Bella, it's gorgeous. Whoever sent this has an amazing eye."

Bella lifted the smooth gold lid of the chariot jewelry box piece. While the gold horses had feather hats designed for rings, the chariot was made to hold bracelets and smaller earrings. But, there was no jewelry inside. Only a tape.

"He's the best." Bella chuckled softly.

"Honey, do you even know what that is?" The receptionist asked, her eyebrows raised seeing the tape sitting inside the box.

Bella quickly closed the lid and gathered it back into the box it was delivered in. "Yes, I have a walkman at home. I wish I would've brought it. I didn't know this was coming today. I won't be home until late tonight too."

The receptionist watched as Bella tucked the white box under her arm and then picked up the flowers. "Who sent it to you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My dad." Bella smirked before leaving the office. She quickly went back to the conference room where the rest of her things were, not knowing that Hannibal could see her grin from miles away.

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	36. Chapter 36

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Hannibal shimmied through the school's extra belongings before reaching his perch for the night to enjoy the performance. While the two drama students in charge of the lights were busy keeping the spotlight on his little bird, they would unknowingly be mere yards from a previous top ten most wanted spot holder. Among the desks and old technology that someone was too sentimental to throw away, he was perched in an old leather office chair that was probably just tossed in here as an extra. The chair no longer adjusted, but it was at a height Hannibal was pleased with. Even if the need to stretch became unbearable, his legs propped up comfortably in a half wall bookshelf pushed up against the solid rail overlooking the auditorium.

With only a few hours until the curtains were pulled, Coach Pellagrim was moving frantically between the stereo with the music, his piano, and the stage to give the finishing touches to the performance. Unlike other practices he'd witnessed, Hannibal was pleased to see that Pellagrim didn't pay any special attention to Bella that would warrant concern. He was being as professional as he could be given her threat to essentially ruin his reputation and life by telling others what he'd been proposing to her.

And in all her glory, his little bird moved about the stage in a golden Sleeping Beauty costume with her long brown hair smoothed back into a low ballet bun. With white tights and golden slippers as well, the light caught her every movement against the dark blue curtains behind her. Again, he watched her swing into the arms of the boy playing Prince Charming. His arm wound around her waist and anchored her against him as she kicked her legs out and up behind her. They both reached out towards the ground in front of them, his leg balancing her body and giving her stability to keep her legs nearly vertical in the air.

While his eyes remained on her, his mind put her in the backdrops of Venice or Paris, even wandering to Rome. In the streets of those fantastic cities, he imagined holding hands with Clarice and leisurely strolling around the blocks surrounding their residence. In her excitement, Bella would bound from one store front to the next, experiencing life outside of DC for the first time.

The music stopped, and Bella received a double high-five from her dance partner before his arms wrapped around her in a side hug. That attention was welcomed by her as she snuggled up into his side, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. He'd have to ask about this young boy the next time he had the chance to speak to her.

He had seen her emerge from the office earlier with his gifts and had chuckled to himself seeing he was caught using the school cameras to spy on her when she had smirked up at one herself. She enjoyed the gifts and safely tucked them into her locker under his watchful eyes. He may have been all the way across the city, but he would've left his rooftop position if the young Krendler or the killer made an appearance to corner her. With the threat on her and Clarice's doorstep, his impulse to protect was stronger than ever before, and he knew doubt would only lead to tragedy going forward.

* * *

Clarice rolled her eyes when her agent escort tried to bargain a seat next to her when the seats for this performance had been sold for nearly a month already. She rested a hand on his shoulder. "I assure you that I'll be fine to sit by myself. If there is a problem, you know where to find me." She didn't allow him to refuse again before she sat down in her reserved seat next to a couple of the other dance moms she had come to know over the years. The last thing they all needed was for the rumors to start flying around the school that she and Bella were in a witness protection type of program.

"Yes, and I've had this seat reserved for three months. I'm not giving it up." Another voice from behind her agent stated proudly.

Clarice's eyes widened recognizing the voice. When the agent stepped aside, the stranger's identity was confirmed. "Joe!"

"Hey, Miss Starling." Joe grinned before leaning down and kissing her cheek. He slipped by her before sitting down. "Long time, no see."

"You've got that right." Clarice chuckled before glancing back at her agent. "He's a good boy. He'll watch me just fine." She waited until the watchdog left before turning back to Joe. "What on Earth are you doing here? I thought you'd be celebrating the holidays up in New York with your folks."

Joe shrugged. "I bought the ticket from Bella back before school started. I told my parents not to bother coming up, because I had a show to go see." He glanced up at the stage. "I don't think she knows I'm here."

Clarice shook her head. "I don't think she does either, or she would've told me. I'm sure you could go back and see her. You always knew how to calm her nerves before a show. Besides, I think she might like seeing you. I don't know what will happen after the show with these agents snooping around us."

Joe pursed his lips together. "I don't know how happy she'll be."

"Sweetie," Clarice sighed, rubbing his shoulder, "I promise you that she will be happy. I know that she's missed you. She'd kill me for telling you, but she's missed you."

"I've missed her." Joe nodded before glancing up and down the isle. "I guess there's time to say a quick hello. Save my seat?"

Clarice gestured for him to slip by her again. "I'd rather sit by you than another parent." She noticed the nervous tick bubble to the surface as he rubbed the back of his neck, something he did every time Bella would come up with an idea that wasn't always what he had in mind. "Just relax. It's not like you're her long lost father or anything."

"Thank God for that. I don't think I could take her busting my balls like that." Joe smirked before standing and hurrying towards the side door that led backstage.

Clarice chuckled softly to herself, trying to hide her smirk with her hand discretely. "Not many people could."

* * *

Bella placed both her hands on her torso, breathing in and out just to feel the movement under the puffed embroidered fabric of her ballerina costume. The pre-performance jitters were starting to set in, and she welcomed it despite the nausea that had taken over her stomach. She needed the nerves to keep herself alert on stage. Her eyes wandered for a distraction from the desire to vomit though, and she found herself staring at the old stage curtains that were laying in a heap of material that was taken to be washed and then most likely put into storage.

The old curtains were orange with red fridge at the bottom. Whoever bought them would've been eaten if they had ever met Hannibal just for their taste in material. When they were taken down, she remembered seeing the cloud of dust that erupted up from them. It had been years since they had been touched by water, and the stains on the fabric showed it.

A large stain near the seam was from Coach Pellagrim spilling his coffee on it years ago when she was first taking ballet in elementary. There were two feet with faded spots where it would've touched the floor. Someone had thrown up backstage and didn't tell the janitor about it. By the time they discovered the mess, the stomach acids had already reacted with the orange. Most of the stains were from wet set pieces brushing up against it.

Bella didn't know the story behind most of those. The curtains had been hanging here for as long as she could remember, and they were old when she first saw them. But, there wasn't a mark from her. No evidence to show that she had touched those curtains, performed when they were pulled back, or even had been in the same building.

And, that would be her life when she left. Moving from place to place and never really leaving a mark.

"Bella?"

Bella froze in that moment. The curtains were no longer her concern, and a new wave of nerves hit her in her chest. She slowly turned to see black hair, blue eyes, and freshly grown facial hair. "Joe!" Her lungs finally filled back with air saying his name, and she quickly picked up the remains of her composure before hugging him. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?"

Joe met her eyes once she pulled back, and he smiled in relief that she hadn't let the situation be awkward like it did every time he imagined it in his head. "Well, I did buy a ticket. I've been waiting on pins and needles since then to get my money's worth."

Bella laughed and shook her head. "I completely forgot. You could've just asked for your money back when things ended. It's not like I was expecting you to come just for me." She bit her lip, hoping to shut herself up before she babbled any further about his showing up.

"Well, that's another reason why I came." Joe rubbed the back of his neck, and they both let out nervous laughs. "I know that you wanted me to have the entire college experience, and I get why you did it. I just. . .I can't seem to picture it without you."

Bella felt like a weight had just dropped into the pit of her stomach, and she prayed to God that this wasn't leading where she thought it was. "What?"

"I saw your application. I work in the admissions office to help pay for my own tuition. Bella, you're in. We can be in the same school next fall." Joe explained, his excitement showing in every way possible. "I know long distance is hard, but it's only for a semester until I come home for the summer. Then, we can drive up together when the school year starts. You, me, and New York. Just like we always talked about."

Bella grabbed his hand into hers to stop his plans. She played with his fingers, smiling sadly. "I can't do that."

Joe's face fell. "Oh, you're seeing someone else. I guess I'm not really surprised."

"No," Bella shook her head, "I'm not going to New York. A lot has happened, and everything is going to happen quickly. It's a lot to explain, and I really can't talk about it all. But, I'm graduating high school early. I'm not sure where I'll end up, but my plans have changed."

"The girl who always has a plan finally has no plan." Joe breathed, a smile gracing his features. The disappointment was there, but there was happiness swimming in his eyes as well. "Do you think I could steal you away after the show so we can talk about what you can actually talk about?"

Bella chuckled. "We'll have to bypass the agents. My mom and I are under supervision. She might want me to go home after the show anyway considering what all has been going on." She squeezed his hand a little harder. "There's a lot we have to catch up on."

"Apparently." Joe whispered. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll go talk to your mom. If anything, I can come by your place to catch up. There is an afterparty for your performance though I hear."

"I've heard. I'll only go if you do." Bella smirked. She looked up when the lights started going down and pushed on his chest gently. "Go sit back down. You better cheer for me. I wanna hear you."

Joe laughed. "Only for you, Starling."

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	37. Chapter 37

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The curtains were pulled as Bella bounded off stage. She returned to the small space of old curtains and various ropes as the applause rang out from the hundreds of parents and family in attendance. The performance had been better than she could've hoped, and she could see all the people she cared about watching her. Even the tall shadow that loomed high above where she knew a couple of her classmates were manning the lights caught her attention.

From Hannibal's shadow to Joe's cheering, the knot in her stomach finally released when her eyes landed on Clarice. With arms raised and clapping, Clarice's proud grin and beaming eyes had to be reflected on her own face as she stood on the stage with the rest of the dancers. Her mother's smile and gaze were as calming as Hannibal's voice, and Bella couldn't remember the last time she had felt this at peace in a long time. She stood, letting her head drop back with eyes closed, and let the moment sink in looking much like someone soaking up the sun after a long winter.

The silence was broken though when the side stage door was opened, the latching mechanism loud without any objects nearby to absorb the noise. She opened her eyes and turned just in time to see hands coming at her. One came over her mouth while the other turned away only for its attached arm to collide with her chest. Her body knocked back into the concrete block wall and knocked the wind out of her, but it didn't stop her hands from reaching out and clawing at any piece of skin she could. The index finger on her left hand reached his cheek, and he took the hand away from her mouth to cover the wound.

"Chet, get off of me!" Bella grunted. She pushed him again, hard enough to force him backwards.

He only came back by pressing his entire body weight on her against the wall. "You'll take it and like it, Starling." He spat.

When his hand came up to cover her mouth again, Bella bared her teeth and bit down when two of his fingers slid in. He ripped his fingers out so fast; she felt the skin rip from his knuckles. The texture was like flaccid chicken skin that was once crispy, and the blood made it slide right over her lips. The taste of his blood was strong though, and she felt the small, metallic pool that had gathered under her tongue like a rich sauce on a steak would.

The shock of that discovery paralyzed her, but Chet wasn't focused on her anymore. He swore and looked at the mangled remains of his two fingers. His skin hung and dripped blood onto the old orange curtains, marking them with his presence. When he attempted to push the skin back down, he had to bite back a howl. It was his turn to seek a distraction, and his eyes moved back to her, darker than she had ever seen them. A single exhale seethed through his teeth as his foot moved to take a step back to her.

The foot never landed. He maybe had one exhale after that. Two arms raised up behind him, holding an old stage light, and came down as Bella turned away with closed eyes. She could hear the bulb shatter and the distinct crack of bone breaking: Chet's skull. Only when the thud of a body hitting the floor hit her ears did she open her eyes again. On the floor, Chet lay with eyes wide open, mouth slack, and skull seeping.

Behind him, Joe stood with wild eyes and the busted light in his hands. He stared down at the body, chest expanding rapidly, without a single tremor running through his hands. His eyes slowly met hers and he let the light drop into the curtains on the floor before he stepped over the body. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Bella breathed before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. She inhaled sharply, the aroma of Chet's blood on her lips hitting her once more. "I can't believe you did that."

"I saw him sneak in through the side door and wanted to make sure he didn't try anything." Joe sighed before glancing back over his shoulder to look at the body. "I wasn't planning on killing him."

Bella buried her face into his chest. "That won't matter to Paul. He's been after my mom and I since Buffalo Bill. If he finds out what happened, he'll have us all hang in a way he sees fit." She looked at the body herself, dodging Joe's attempts to try and block the sight from her. "What are we going to do?"

Joe shook his head. "I don't know." He kissed her head. "Go see your mom. She'll know what to do. I'll try to hide him for the time being. Just, come back." He stepped out of the curtain piles with her and gently prodded her to the door. "She said no to me taking you out, but she might not have an option now."

* * *

Bella licked her lips before she wiped at her mouth, satisfied that Chet's blood was gone from her face, before stepping out from the side door and hurrying over to Clarice. Again, she was met with a proud smile as her mother's arms wrapped around her. Bella didn't waste the opportunity to hug her tightly. "Hey, Mommy."

"Bella, I'm so proud of you. You did amazing." Clarice gushed as she kissed Bella's head. She held Bella close and moved her lips closer to her ear. "I bet your father is just beside himself right now."

"I hope he doesn't have plans tonight." Bella sighed before meeting Clarice's eyes. The second her smile dropped, worry flooded into her mother's blue eyes. "Chet's dead."

Clarice's eyes widened the slightest, but she was careful not to show anything else of her surprise. They were still being watched and monitored by the two agents whose patience was being tested with them out in the open with hundreds of people around. "What do you mean?"

Bella glanced towards the stage door. "Right after the show, he ambushed me." The worry almost took over, but she quickly squashed it away. "I pushed him away. He didn't touch me, but Joe came in and hit him with an old stage light. The way he hit the floor, Mom, he's gone." She bit her lip and looked back to the agents standing guard by the doors. "I know that the Beer Can Killer is after us, but I can't just leave Joe to deal with this on his own."

"Paul would find a way to string us in." Clarice concluded herself with a slight nod. She jutted her chin back towards the stage door. "Remember everything I've taught you. The evidence cannot lead back to you or Joe. Phones off or not on you to the dump site. Take Chet's car with you. Borrow an extra car wherever you take him. Do you have a plan for that?"

Bella nodded. "I think so. Joe might know a place too." She glanced back up at the balcony. The silhouette of her father was no longer where she saw it before. "We can drive to Ray's after-party and leave Joe's truck there. I could get another set of keys at the party from one of the jocks. With the amount of alcohol and drunk girls, their car keys will be the least of their concerns."

Clarice nodded. "Alright. Just be careful." She kissed Bella's cheek. "I'll call your father. He'll probably start following you though the second he realizes you're not with me." She held her daughter's gaze for a moment, inhaling slowly. "You were more shocked from last night's near intruder than from just seeing your first dead body."

"I'm not really sorry that Chet's gone." Bella breathed. She gave Clarice another hug. "I'll call you the second we get back to the party. Whatever we do, we'll do it quick."

"Remember DNA." Clarice whispered. She squeezed Bella's hand before letting her go to hurry back to the stage door. Picking up her clutch from her seat, she made her way through the crowd to the two agents, moving as if she hadn't a care in the world. Her fingers itched to reach in and grab her burner, but she held off. "Thank you, boys, for sitting through that. Bella said she would change, grab her things, and come right out. Meanwhile, I need to use the ladies' room. Which one of you is going to stalk me all the way to the door?" She asked with a smirk.

* * *

Clarice went down to the last stall in the ladies' room. Luckily, most of the crowd had cleared out. A few of the rich moms stood at the sinks gossiping about the latest so-called scandal, usually consisting of who brought store bought items to a bake sale. She, herself, had been their favorite topic for many years when there wasn't a school crisis going on.

Without giving them a moment of her attention, she locked herself in the stall and pulled out the burner and pressed the single button that allowed her to speed-dial his. She pressed herself against the wall and cupped her hand over her mouth to defuse the sound of her voice in the bathroom as much as possible. When the ringing stopped, she didn't wait for his greeting. "I need you to follow Bella."

"Why, hello, Clarice. What a wonderful performance I must say. Did you enjoy it?" Hannibal asked, bypassing Clarice's demand.

"We can discuss that later. You need to follow Bella. She is leaving with her ex, Joe." Clarice reiterated, trying not to be rude. Her anxiety about the situation was creeping in fast though about letting her daughter roam free with a serial killer personally targeting her. "Just follow her. Make sure no one touches her."

Hannibal's pause was filled with a single exhale. "I will always do that. Why does this sound especially troubling?"

Clarice bit her lip, closing her eyes. She never thought she would speak the words she had longed for years to say. "What you offered to do for Bella at dinner that first night. . .Joe just went through with it. They are back-pedaling for clean up right now. I've got to keep those two agents distracted long enough for Bella to sneak out of here with Joe. I'm not sure where they're going after dropping off Joe's car at an after-party."

Hannibal sat in his truck at the far end of the parking lot. He had snuck out with the crowd of parents that were too busy gushing over their child's performance to notice his presence. In the driver's seat, he sat low enough to make the truck cab appear empty in the darkness provided. "Tell her to go to the bay harbor. Mr. Krendler has a boat there that I've noticed the young Krendler go sailing out on. I understand that you've most likely taught her the basics of evidence."

"She knows." Clarice whispered. She briefly rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "She's too much like us for her own good."

"Ah, my dear, that's what makes this all the more fun." Hannibal grinned. "I'll watch her. If anything comes up, I will call you. Once she gets back in touch with you though, we'll go back to only calls from your end."

Clarice chuckled softly. "And, here I thought I was finally with someone who would call me in the morning."

Hannibal smiled once he caught onto her reference. His voice lowered considerably, and he could picture the effect he was having on his lamb. "Clarice, my plan is to only hold you in the mornings after thoroughly fucking you the night before." The tip of his tongue ran over his small white teeth. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but I would never be as cliche to only call you."

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	38. Chapter 38

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"Agent Starling," one of her watch dogs addressed her with an informal, yet panicked, voice, "your daughter is missing."

"You lost her?" Clarice's eyes went wide before she stormed towards the auditorium with them hot on her heels. "How the fuck could you lose her? She's seventeen and in a ballerina costume."

The agent that had stayed behind to wait for Bella cleared his throat. "Uh, she went backstage saying she needed to change. I said I'd wait for her out here. After a few minutes, I knocked on the door. When I didn't receive an answer, I went through the side stage door, but she was gone. She did change though. Her bags were left, and she wrote a note telling us to bring them home for her. She'd meet us back at the house."

Clarice rolled her eyes, trying not to smirk at how much that sounded like something Hannibal would do if he were in the position. She saw Bella's bag and duffel with a bouquet of flowers hanging from the agent's hand. She took the bag from him and pushed aside the layers of the costume to see a white box inside. The note taped to it was clearly Hannibal's writing, but she was one of few agents who knew the handwriting well enough to identify it.

With a sigh, she turned on her heel, heading for the front doors of the school. "She must have left with her ex-boyfriend - Joe. They broke up a couple months ago, and she wanted to leave with him after the show. I said no. I guess she decided to risk meeting a serial killer anyway. His full name is Joseph Mackenzie, college freshman. His parents are Matt and Rebecca, still married. I'm not sure what he's driving now, but, last I knew, it was a black 2014 Chevy Malibu." She didn't stop as she pulled out her phone and dialed Bella's number.

* * *

Bella sat Ray's car after snatching his keys, waiting for Joe to park at the corner with Chet's car, when her phone started vibrating with Clarice's name popping up on the screen. She quickly answered it, "hey."

"Where are you?" Clarice asked.

Bella could hear the murmur of their agents nearby. "I'm outside Ray's house."

"Is he there with you?" Clarice's voice made it clear she wasn't referring to Joe. The word _he_ from her lips would always mean the one man who she trusted most in the world, even if the rest of world didn't believe him.

Bella's eyes darted towards the other end of the block, seeing the worn farm truck parked off the street. "He's here. I can see him." She slid further down in the the driver seat when a car drove by her. "We're only going to stay for a little bit. I should be home around midnight. Joe said he would drive me home."

Clarice glanced up when one of the agents circled around her with expectant eyes. "Bella, I told you not to go with Joe. You need to come home right now. I know you saw the same thing I did on our front door last night."

"I did, and, honestly, I really am looking forward to coming home. I need to talk to you." Bella sighed before seeing Joe pull up in Chet's car. "I gotta go. Joe's waving me over. Love you." She stated quickly before gently opening the door and tossing her phone into Joe's car parked alongside Ray's. Her phone landed beside Joe's, facedown on the leather seat, knowing that agents and Clarice would continue to try to get ahold of her. If her and Joe's phones pinged off the cell towers around Ray's house, it was evidence that could exonerate her and Joe if fingers ever pointed to them.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the farm truck's headlights spring to life before she started up Ray's car. With the music raging, the plethora of cars on the property, and the attention focused on booze, she drove off without attracting attention to herself or the car.

* * *

Hannibal cut off his engine when Bella pulled her car up, with the headlights off, into a small parking lot leading up to a boat dock. The area was heavily wooded, but only a quarter mile or so from the number of boats tied up at a small country club and bar where he knew Paul Krendler's boat sat docked. Glancing up and down the road, Hannibal hopped out of the truck and jogged on the crunchy leaves and across the road to the parking lot.

Bella didn't seem to notice him until she closed the car door gently and turned to face him. He felt relief flood him when her eyes widened the slightest in surprise and her arms flung around him. "Dad!"

He held her tightly, cupping the back of her head and pressing his face into her hair. "Bella." He inhaled sharply before daring to look down at her. Physically, she looked fine. No marks or scratches. But, he could smell it on her breath. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Bella breathed into his chest. He pulled her back though, carefully touching to feel out for bodily harm. "Chet cornered me. I got him off, but Joe came out of nowhere with the stage light and-"

Hannibal inhaled again. "I smell blood on you, Bellona. If you are hurt, you are to tell me."

"I swear. He didn't hurt me." Bella stated again. When her breath hit his face, she could see the look in his eyes. "I did bite Chet's finger though." She swallowed thick, touching her lips with the tips of her fingers. "His blood was all over my mouth when I tore the skin from his finger."

He reached out and took her hand into his, removing it from her lips. He gently kissed the back of her hand. "Then, you did well." He kissed her forehead when they both spotted Chet's car pull into the parking lot of the country club. The place was closed, and Joe parked far enough away that the cameras couldn't reach him in the darkness.

With a quick glance to Bella, Hannibal swiftly pulled her hair back and tied it. "We can't risk evidence getting on board that boat, especially your DNA." Once her hair was done to his liking, he captured it in a black beanie. "I have another for your friend, along with gloves." He pulled out two sets of leather gloves and held out a pair for Bella to slip her hands into.

He briefly wondered if this was what would've happened if he were her father all her life. Winters in snowy countryside. He pictured his little bird fumbling to pull on snow pants that were slightly too big so that she could go build a snowman with Clarice or himself. When she stood with wool pants and thick boots waiting for her winter coat, he would hold out her little mittens for her to slide her hands into before pulling on a thick hat to cover her ears. After helping her into her coat and zipping it up, he could imagine watching his little bird wander into the snow walking more like a penguin than the hawk she was now. With her hand in Clarice's, he'd watch them frolic in the snow and build Frosty while he played the piano.

The would be memory was tucked away though when Bella took the extra hat and set of gloves from him, hers already on. She took a deep breath and hugged him again. "Thank you, Daddy."

Hannibal smiled. "You're most welcome. Now, go. The quicker, the better. I'll wait here and signal you if I see trouble." He watched as she took off running through the woods towards the parking lot where Joe waited, feeling the compulsion to follow her. "Be careful."

* * *

Clarice, changed from her formal attire to the ballet, paced the length of her living room with her phone pressed to her ear. The two agents supposed to be watching her and Bella were also both on the phone trying to get information on Bella and Joe and their whereabouts. She knew Joe had traded cars shortly before going to college, and they were working blindly with the location of 'Ray's house,' since they believed Ray was still a high school student. Although Clarice knew of Ray's significance in her daughter's sex life, Bella had never introduced the two. It didn't stop Clarice from researching and knowing the boy's face in a line-up though.

"Bella, it's me again. Answer your phone. You're really freaking me out here." Clarice sighed into the phone before hanging up. She bit her lip and glanced between the two agents again. They were both engrossed in their phone calls, giving one word answers to the other person on the phone before asking another question. From the way the questions were going, Clarice could give educated guesses as to the information they were collecting.

It didn't take them long to figure out there were three Ray's on the football team right now. Finding out if Bella was there would be another task. With warnings out for Bella's description around the three addresses, the search would be much shorter but would lead nowhere. Once they figured out that Bella wasn't at any of those houses, they would move on to talking with inside sources about house parties going on the police radar.

Until Bella got back to the property, they wouldn't know where she was. Clarice just hoped that Bella and Joe would arrive back at the party before police showed up asking for them. It would only cause suspicion if an entire house of teenagers couldn't find her and Joe with their cell phones and his car right outside. Sitting down slowly, she waited until her watchdog of the day hung up his phone and looked at her expectantly. "She's not picking up. What do you have?"

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	39. Chapter 39

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Bella scanned the parking lot as Joe hurried around to the trunk of Chet's car. She quickly took out the extra pair of hat and gloves. "Here, put these on." She glanced back at the driver's door as Joe pulled the gloves onto his hands. "We'll have to wipe down the car. It'll look suspicious if Chet's prints aren't on the car though."

"I covered my hands with my sleeves. I didn't touch anything." Joe reassured her before popping open the trunk. Inside, Chet's body lay in a pool of dirty orange curtain now stained with his blood. Joe leaned over and started tucking the curtain back around Chet's body to conceal him. "Do you know which boat is his? We need to get back to the party before Ray notices his car is missing."

"Chet always called it the _S. S. Krendler_." Bella stated before looking down at the docks. She rolled her eyes when she found a long speed boat, most likely used for sport, bobbing up and down among the sailboats and yachts. She didn't have to squint to see the name branded on the side like a neon sign in a dark bar window. Turning back to Joe, she reached in and grabbed onto the knot of curtains by Chet's head. "Let's go."

* * *

"Well if you hear from them, please let me know." Clarice said into her phone before pretending to end her fake phone call with Joe's mother. She turned to the agents, already knowing the answer but wanting to play the part. "Can't you track her phone? I get she wasn't kidnapped, but she could be and we wouldn't know until it was too late."

One of them shook their head while the other turned to Clarice. "I'm sorry, Agent Starling. You know the law as well as we do. She left on her own. We aren't allowed to track her phone under those circumstances. Until we know for certain that she's in danger, there's nothing we can do but search on our own. Local authorities do have orders though to be on the look out for house parties. They are to report back and not enter unless they see illegal activity."

Clarice rolled her eyes. "If we find out she's in danger, she's already gone. A serial killer is after her, literally after her, and you two act as if everything is fine." She looked to the front door when she heard the doorbell. "Who's that?"

"We asked for some reinforcements."

Clarice glared at the front door when the agent who watched Bella all day opened the front door and revealed Ardelia standing on the other side. She was dressed like she had just left the office, her badge clipped to her belt like every other cliche. Deep circles lined her eyes, but it didn't stop Delia from glaring right back at Clarice. "No wonder you guys aren't jumping to track Bella's phone. Your boss practically wished my daughter dead."

"I did not, and you know that." Delia stated as she walked into the townhouse and closed the door behind her, noticing the new locks. She joined the three in the living room and looked around, surveying the townhouse as if it were a crime scene. Clarice knew she was looking for signs of Lecter. "I've been there for her as much as I could. You've said yourself that I'm practically family."

"Yet, you'd rather her be dead than have a certain person's DNA running through her veins." Clarice argued back. "Your acceptance of her has conditions, and that's not a family."

Delia ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "Why are you so upset? It was hypothetical. He's obviously not her father, because you'd never be that stupid to sleep with him." She didn't notice Clarice's nose flare as she chuckled to herself. "I mean, what would that be? He'd fuck you then prepare your organs with a nice wine. Talk about tenderizing the meat to your meal."

Clarice crossed her arms over her chest, biting back the words she wanted to say. "Are you done? Because, I'm pretty sure you were called here to help find Bella, not berate me about hypothetically sleeping with Hannibal Lecter."

Delia sighed before turning to the two other agents in the room. "Could you give us a moment, guys?" She waited until they left to stand guard outside the front door before turning her eyes back to Clarice. "After some careful thought, I realized that Hannibal isn't the father."

"You did?" Clarice asked, half shocked that Delia was suddenly switching her campaign of Dr. Lecter being involved.

"Yes," Delia nodded, "and I know why Lecter would come back to target you two. You committed the ultimate betrayal in his eyes."

Clarice frowned. The fact that Delia was still pegging Hannibal for these crimes was as ludicrous as her lamb being saved or his teacup coming back together, and it was utterly frustrating to keep defending him when she knew she was skating on thin ice with the truth. And, betrayal? She'd never gone against Hannibal. Even with as little as Delia knew about their relationship, she also knew that Clarice wasn't one to just throw caution to the wind and go against a man that saved her life once. "What are you talking about? What did I do to betray Dr. Lecter?"

"Jack Crawford is Bella's father." Delia stated more than accused. The shock that came over Clarice's face made her scoff at her best friend. "I knew it was a rumor over the years, but I never thought you would've slept with Crawford. But, it makes sense. His wife had just died, and you were having a hard time with Krendler. He was the only one on your side. I understand why, Clarice. I get it. You don't have to hide it."

Clarice laughed out right, her hands shifting to her hips. "That's insane. I never slept with Crawford. I don't even think I saw him after he left the office for good. Besides, he died before I even found out I was pregnant."

"You and I both know that finding out your pregnant is weeks after conception." Delia fired back. "Not only that, Clarice, you named her Bella. Jack's wife's nickname was Bella. That isn't a coincidence. Lecter probably got jealous. He's always had a thing for you. Having Crawford's kid must've pushed him over the edge, and he just found out about it. That's why he's here. Just finally admit who Bella's father is. Say that it's Crawford. It will make you feel better."

"He's not her father, Dee." Clarice said firmly. "Yes, I named my daughter Bellona, with the nickname Bella. That was a coincidence, because I chose the name Bellona for the history behind it. I wanted her name to mean something more than just a good feeling from a baby name book. And, screw you for accusing me of sleeping with my boss. You know I'm better than that. I don't care which way you want to twist things. Crawford is not Bella's father, and Lecter isn't the Beer Can Killer. He's a serial killer by every definition in the book, but he has never laid a finger on me to harm me. He saved me from wild, flesh-eating hogs and healed me back to health before Krendler was brought over for dinner." She pointed up at the TV where the news was relaying information about staying safe from the killer. "This killer wants me and my daughter dead. He wants us to suffer for some reason. That isn't Hannibal Lecter. He hasn't tortured another person as a means of gratification. He kills to sate his own desires, quick and easy."

Delia held Clarice's eyes, breathing in deeply. But, her voice gave away the anger building inside her. "We got a tip this evening that Lecter was at Bella's school tonight. He came in with everyone else and left in a Jaguar."

Clarice bit her lip to keep from smirking. If Delia had just stopped with her first statement, she would've been worried. But, she knew what Hannibal was driving, and she knew that he had been at the school hours before she was. "I highly doubt that. A Jaguar in the school parking lot would raise a few red flags with the parents at that school. Let's say your tip is true though. Let's say Hannibal is here. What would bring him here? The last time he was here was when I was being thrown under the bus for doing my job. He came to ensure I would survive the chaos. When we found the evidence to suggest the victims were the same as Bella and I, it was televised that I was off the case for fear that I was the target. The story hit news stands. Dee, if he's here, he's ensuring that I make it out of this alive."

Delia frowned as Clarice sat down like she had just won a chess match. "You sound sure of yourself." She sat down herself, slowly lowering onto the couch. "If Crawford isn't her father, who is?"

"Saying it was Hannibal Lecter didn't make you happy?" Clarice asked, quirking an eyebrow at her friend. "You might as well jump on the band wagon with the rest of the FBI. Hannibal's Little Cannibal is out on the loose, most likely partying with her ex-boyfriend."

Delia leaned back. "I know you don't want that for her, to be considered his daughter."

"It's her decision whether or not she wants to correct the rumor or not. I've tried, but I'm still considered his bride after twenty-five years." Clarice whispered, focusing on their goal. The life she longed for was not so far away, and she just hoped she could grasp onto it before the FBI took the only thing it ever gave to her: Hannibal. She inhaled slowly, wishing that Hannibal was sitting beside her with two glasses of his favorite wine. "Considering he's treated me better than the FBI, I'm not sure denying it is even worth the energy anymore."

Silence hung in the air as the two let those words sink in - one of utter shock and the other of finality in the future. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

Clarice kicked her feet up on the coffee table and pressed her phone to her ear, placing another pointless call to Bella's phone. "I've spent two and a half decades realizing it myself. I know what I'm saying."

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	40. Chapter 40

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Bella grunted when she slipped into the boat with Chet's body landing on top of her. "Gross. I bet his spirit is here right now, planning this. He couldn't get on top of me while he was alive; he wanted to make sure he could do it while he was dead."

Joe chuckled as he hopped inside and maneuvered the curtains off of her, moving the body off of her. "You'll be rid of him soon enough." When he moved Chet's body aside, he helped Bella up onto her feet. "Now, find a paddle or something long. I want to get us out of here as quietly as possible, and that trolling motor will make it faster. I just need you to push the boat away from anything that could scratch it, like the dock."

"Alright," Bella breathed before lifting up the leather seats along the sides of the boat to look into the compartments underneath them. There were dozens of life jackets, towels, a trash can with garbage bags, a tool box, matches, sunscreen; they could've lived on this boat for the amount of things they packed into it. She shoved Chet's body away from the long floor compartments and grinned when she found a small wooden paddle among a number of fishing poles. "Found one."

"Get ready." Joe warned before lowering the trolling motor into the water and starting it up. The motor was a low hum, quiet enough not to be heard around the river, and it moved the boat faster than Bella expected.

She quickly moved to the edge of the boat and found buoys dangling from small notches where the boat's awning would be secured in place to block the sun during the day. "Hurry. It's starting to mist." Dropping back down onto the floor, Bella clamored to untie the knots securing Chet inside the curtains. As she pulled back the fabric, she froze seeing Chet's cell phone lit up with a number of missed calls and texts from Paul. "Shit."

Joe glanced back at her, but turned his gaze back to the water to focus on getting away from the other docked boats. "What's wrong?"

"Paul is blowing up his phone." Bella sighed before swiping her thumb across the screen, surprised when Chet hadn't set up a password or fingerprint to allow access. "I can text Paul though. It will look like Chet's still alive if he's texting his dad." She sent a couple texts to Paul assuring him that Chet was fine and that he was going fishing. When she saw a number of texts from the other football jocks asking how things went with her, she cursed again. "He told his friends."

"What did he tell them?" Joe asked before turning off the motor and letting the boat float with the momentum created. He quickly crawled over Chet's body to look at the phone with her. "Jesus Christ, Bella. He was planning on attacking you tonight."

Bella scrolled through the texts as her gut wrenched. "It looks like he was planning it for a while." She started pounding her fingers against the screen. "And, he's told them all that he's already fucked me."

Joe snatched the phone from her and held it out of her reach. "Let me handle this. I know how Chet talks to his friends. I say we dump the body first, because I'm afraid that you'll take your anger out on it. We don't need more broken bones than necessary."

"He'd deserve it." Bella huffed before meeting Joe's eyes. "You didn't have to do this, you know. What you did was to defend me. We can still back out. It would save you potential jail time if we're ever found out."

Joe leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'm not letting Chet's death destroy your future. As innocent as we are, you know his dad will pull strings to make it look like something it wasn't. Besides, you seem really calm about all of this."

Bella smirked. "That's what happens when you're a child of the FBI." She nudged his side with her elbow. "What about you?"

"I was protecting you. I'd do it all over again, everything the same." Joe shrugged before jutting his chin towards the body. "Sparing his life for the sake of not killing someone is not good enough when he threatens to come after you. I meant what I said earlier. I came back for more than just to use my ticket."

Bella teared up as a smile curled her lips. "You shouldn't have done that. I'm not staying here."

"I'll go wherever you want to go." Joe stated, taking her hand into his.

"Even if it's off the grid forever, never returning to life as we know it?" Bella questioned. She hated skating around the truth, and her need to be direct with him was overpowering her mind telling her to keep up the act. "I haven't committed a crime, and I'm not running from the law. But, some things will come out that will make me guilty by association. Those things may change your mind about me." She caressed his cheek. "The life I'm choosing, it isn't normal. The traditional family with the white picket fence and the nine to five job is not what I want. It's not what I'm choosing. I've been your girl next door for as long as I've known you. I'm not that girl anymore."

Before he could say anything to try to convince her, she kissed him and stood. Crouching down on the deck, she wrapped her hands around Chet's ankles before looking back at Joe. "Let's do this."

* * *

Hannibal stood between the trees as Joe and Bella hopped off the boat and onto the dock where she had parked Ray's car. He frowned though when Bella didn't turn back to Joe. As soon as she was off the boat, she kept walking, yanking off the hat and gloves and shoving them into her sweatshirt pocket. While she walked back to the car, Joe turned back to the boat and pushed it back towards the center of the lake. They'd set up the boat well. A fishing seat sat on the deck with crushed beer cans lying around it and a fishing pole. Before he pushed the boat away, Joe had grabbed a stuffed black garbage bag from the deck and discarded it in the large blue dumpster that was overflowing at this point.

He took off his own hat and gloves and walked back to the car solemnly. Bella had started the car before he was in, and she didn't wait for him to buckle up before she took off back towards Ray's house.

There was time for questions later.

Once inside the farm truck, he started it up and turned around, dialing Clarice's number with his burner phone. It rang endlessly, and he half thought she wasn't going to pick up until the ringing finally stopped and her voice filtered through his speaker. "Hey."

Her voice was hushed, and Hannibal could only imagine what dog and pony show they were putting her through when the agents were the ones that lost Bella. "Hello, Clarice. I am calling to let you know we are headed back now. They should be at the party in five minutes. I would choose that time to suggest Ray's name."

"Thanks for letting me know." Clarice whispered before the line went dead.

* * *

Clarice wasn't surprised to step out of the bathroom and find Delia waiting just outside the door. As much as she wanted to question Hannibal about the night's events, it wasn't possible with three agents in her house. The burner phone was back to hiding underneath her sweater, and her normal cell phone was clutched between her fingers. "Excuse me."

"Who was that on the phone?" Delia asked despite Clarice's push past her to the rest of the house.

"A friend of mine at the school. He said that he would check around to see who was having a party tonight." Clarice said as she marched into her kitchen. "You and your team certainly aren't finding her."

"She doesn't exactly want to be found." Delia reminded her best friend. "Your daughter ran away from two federal agents to spend time with an ex-boyfriend when there is a serial killer after her. Is there anything between you two that I should know about? Troubles? Problems? Rebellions?"

Clarice scoffed as she pulled out a meal Bella had made earlier that week. "Bella and I are best friends. There is no reason for her to not want to come home. I was her age once; I get where she's coming from. It's misguided, but she's in love with a boy. That boy just happens to be back in town looking to get back together with her. I knew my chances of her being happy to come home were slim." She slid the plate into the microwave before turning back to Delia. "People do crazy things for love."

* * *

Bella didn't wait for the car to shift into park before she was unbuckling herself and opening the door, leaving Joe in the passenger seat. The gloves and beanie hat were tossed into the trash can as her feet carried her back to Joe's car to retrieve her things. But, her movements to call back Clarice were squashed when Joe rushed over to her. "Can we just talk this out? Go somewhere private."

Bella sighed, but nodded. He quickly grabbed her hand and led her inside the house, upstairs, and back towards one of the bedrooms that hadn't been touched by a couple quickly trying to remove clothing. Once they were inside, Joe closed the door and turned to her. "I don't know why you're leaving, and, honestly, I don't care. All I care about is you, because I want to be with you. Picket fence or not, I'm with you."

"You don't know what you're saying." Bella groaned with frustration. She let her phone fall onto the nightstand before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Joe, I'm disappearing forever. I'll probably be wanted by the FBI or the CIA. It's a life on the run. It's not a 'let's travel the world' kind of life. I'm doing this because I know I don't belong here. This world feels like it's suffocating me, always trying to hide my true self."

Joe gulped before kneeling down in front of her. "Did you ever hide yourself from me?"

"No," Bella whispered, "but I can't ask you to give up everyone you know, everyone you love, just to run away. You have dreams and aspirations that you could never fulfill where I'm going."

"If I stay, I still have to give up you." Joe stated. "You broke up with me to let me live a normal college life. I may love my classes, but I fucking hate my life outside of those few hours. Because, every girl I meet doesn't compare to you. Not to sound like a douche, but I see you everywhere I go. I don't care if I lose everything else in this world. You are my constant."

Bella shook her head, blinking away tears that threatened to blur her vision. "I can't take you with me. You may feel this way now, but you'll resent me for it someday. Growing up, you wanted to be the architect who went to play catch with his kids in the park every Saturday morning. You wanted to drive cross country and learn the history on your own terms. God, you wanted to save up enough retirement to buy a bungalow in the Caribbean. I can't give you that."

Joe cupped her face in his hands. "And, none of them are things I need." He kissed her hard, and Bella nearly sobbed as her arms wound around his neck. "I'll show you somehow. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Bella whispered against his lips before he crawled over her, laying her down on her back and moving between her legs.

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	41. Chapter 41

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Hannibal lifted his phone to his ear, sitting in his truck back on the corner furthest from the house. Watching the two arrive proved to be troubling. His little bird was rigid, uncomfortable, but determined in a way. When she had darted to Joe's car, he half expected her to call Clarice and request someone to pick her up, but she accepted Joe's outstretched hand and followed him inside. The nagging feeling of doubt swelled in his belly, but he had to believe that her desire for a new life with both parents was stronger than her love for an ex-boyfriend.

He remained calm though.

"Yes, I need to call in my favor. You still have ties within the courthouse, yes?" His attention was caught by the unmarked SUV that drove past his farm truck towards the house party. It pulled up onto the lawn with flashing lights, spooking the teenagers outside. Despite their scrambling to their cars, the two FBI agents moved through them without attempting to speak with any of them. They invaded the house before he started up his own truck. "I need some documents that can't be filed until I leave. Filing them correctly will be your biggest hurdle here." He waited a moment before his former acquaintance asked what documents he needed. "The birth certificate of one Bellona Darion Starling, and you still do weddings, right?"

* * *

Bella slid her sweatshirt back over her head when she and Joe both looked up hearing the party downstairs get louder. Joe tripped over his jeans as he hopped over to the window. "Everybody is leaving. There's an SUV with lights flashing."

"Shit." Bella breathed before grabbing her things. "That'd be the search party." Slinging her bag across her body, she opened the door to rush downstairs as well, but was stopped when the two agents that had been outside her house were standing in front of her with disapproving looks. She quickly pushed past them. "It's about time. You guys need to be on your toes. I was gone for nearly three hours. Tsk, tsk!" Before Joe could say anything to her to make her stay longer, she bounded down the stairs. "I call shotgun!"

* * *

Clarice bit her thumb nail nervously as she paced behind her armchair, being in constant eyesight of the from door. Delia stood by the front door, peering out of the small spaces provided between the frosted glass design. "Could you stop pacing? You're making me nervous. The hard part is over. The guys found Bella. Relax."

"Don't tell me to relax." Clarice spat back. "It doesn't work when guys say it, and it's not working even with you saying it. Once I have my daughter, I will relax." She paused when she heard a car pull up outside. "Is that them?"

"Yeah," Delia stated before opening up the door. Her intentions of stepping outside were pushed aside as much as she was when Bella nearly plowed into her with duffle in hand. "Well, hello, runaway. Tell me. Are you asking to be sought out by this serial killer?"

Bella rolled her eyes as she dropped her bag to the floor. "Oh, you're so funny. Why don't you tell that joke again about wanting me dead if I had Dr. Lecter's DNA?" She turned to Delia. "I'm here. I'm safe. Nobody tried to kill me tonight. Your job is over. Go home."

Delia followed Bella as she walked to the living room and into Clarice's embrace. "Excuse me. You just used a number of our resources tonight, so you could, what, go drink at a party. You have some questions to answer."

"There are no questions she needs to answer." Clarice shot back. "It is midnight. She's a teenager that you found at a party after a successful ballet performance. Pretty sure our mystery is solved. And, you only used the resources I gave you. I'm the one who gave you Ray's home address where the party was anyway. Your agents did nothing but drive the car. Now, I'd like you to go home. I will deal with my daughter, my way."

Delia gaped. "Clarice, let's be realistic about this."

Clarice pointed to the door. "I am. I thank you for your efforts, as futile as they were, but it's time for you to go." She waited until Delia relented before bringing both arms back around Bella. Delia grabbed her bag off the couch and stormed out of the townhouse, letting the front door slam closed behind her. "What happened?"

Bella made a noise like she was gasping for air. "He's gone. At the bottom of the river with his phone. We staged it to look like he slipped and fell off his boat. We ditched the curtains in a dumpster and left Chet's car by the arena." She hugged Clarice tighter, sniffling into her shoulder. "I already said goodbye to Joe before he left for college. It isn't fair for him to come back here and make me say goodbye all over again."

"He wants to get back together." Clarice stated, already knowing Joe's intentions from talking to him at the performance. "What did you tell him?"

"He's wanted the family life for as long as I've known him. I told him I can't give him that life." Bella sobbed before she sunk down to the floor, and Clarice sank with her. "He doesn't care. He said he'd run away with me. He was willing to give up everything to be with me, but I know him. He'll resent me for it, and he'd flip out once he finds out who dad is."

Clarice smoothed back Bella's hair. "Hey, shh, it's alright. Bella, honey, you don't have to give him up if you don't want to. There is still time."

Bella shook her head. "No, I'm not changing my mind. I want to go." She pulled back from Clarice to look in her eyes, blinking each time Clarice wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "If we're meant to be together, we'll find a way to make it work."

Clarice smiled sadly. "Oh honey, you are disappearing. You are starting a new life with a new name."

"So did Dad, twice, and here we are now." Bella retorted, sniffling again. "It took a while, but you get another chance to be with Dad. Let's face it. You two had the worst possible chances of getting together."

Clarice chuckled with a nod. "That we did." She dropped her forehead to Bella's, tucking strands of hair behind her ears. "My Bella, you have more faith in the universe than I ever have. You amaze me."

Bella smiled before cuddling back into Clarice's embrace. "It still hurts."

"I know." Clarice breathed before kissing Bella's head, holding her tightly. "It will suck for a while, but it will get better."

* * *

Clarice cast another glance to Bella's sleeping form in her bed before turning to her bedroom. The moon hung high at two in the morning and allowed her to roam without turning on the lights. While the moonlight lit up her room, the corners were still dark, and she half hoped that Hannibal would speak when the moment was right. Somehow, he always knew the moment between awareness and relaxation, the moment when she would let her guard down but soon enough that it wouldn't cause her to speak her alarm to his presence.

But as she settled under the covers and reached for the burner cell, she knew her corners were empty when the moment passed. She pressed the phone to her ear, but it didn't even ring before she heard Hannibal's voice. He must've been staring at the phone for who knows how long depending on what all he saw tonight. "Hannibal?"

"You should be asleep, Clarice." Hannibal's words were stern, but his tone was one of relief and agony. Almost like he was waiting for a call he might not get and was preparing for bad news as they spoke. "Do I have to cancel our travel plans?"

Clarice brought her knees up against her chest, hugging them with her free arm. "No. We are still a go. Our daughter is more determined than ever to leave." She bit her lip, chewing as she listened to his even breathing. "What did you see tonight, Hannibal?"

"I saw a young man in love, and he looked at our little bird the way I imagine I look at you." Hannibal confessed with a shake of his head. "I can't take her away from him. Clarice, she loves that boy. I can't ask her to give that up. I would sacrifice my own happiness for her to have hers."

"You don't have to." Clarice whispered. "She let him go. I gave her an out tonight. I told her we could stay. She was adamant about leaving. If they are meant to be together, they will have another chance. Her words."

Hannibal rolled his eyes. "The world isn't that forgiving, my lamb. Why would she believe that anyway?"

Clarice let out a small chuckle. "Ironically, we've inspired that little nugget of wisdom in her. The serial killer cannibal and the eager FBI student becoming romantically involved shouldn't have even been a card in either of our decks. The world has plowed us together three times now, given us a daughter." She ran a hand through her hair. "I may be selfish, but she wants this more than anything else. If you call off the plans, you are taking away her happiness. Believe it or not. You make her happy."

Hannibal smiled laying down on his bed, staring up at the popcorn ceiling. "Really?"

"You make both of us happy." Clarice admitted in a whisper. "If she's meant to be with Joe, fate will bring them together again. Besides, our 'little bird' isn't ready to be committed to anyone. She's about to experience the world in a way she never imagined, meet people she's never met before. I know that they love each other, but I think we can both agree they aren't ready to be lost in the world together."

"Lost in the world together." Hannibal repeated with a hum. "Sounds nicer than it is. She will enjoy it though. I hope you will enjoy it."

Clarice grinned. "As long as I'm with you, I'm happy." She slid down the mattress and pulled the blankets up over her. "Should I call you tomorrow?"

Hannibal closed his eyes, picturing his lamb laying beside him in his memory palace. "I would look forward to it."

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	42. Chapter 42

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"Fucking hell." Bella groaned as she opened the door. "Can't you take a hint. We don't want you here."

Delia rolled her eyes and pushed past the seventeen year old. She moved like it was still accepted for her to be in their house. "Thank you for that warm welcome, Bella."

Clarice grumbled her frustration under her breath as Bella came back to help with their breakfast. "What do you want now? We're not going anywhere today. We're planning on staying home and watching movies. You don't need to come babysit us."

"Chet Krendler is missing." Delia announced to the two, gauging their reactions when she spilled the news. Both of them stopped what they were doing, but they quickly went back to the tasks at hand. "You two don't seem worried or concerned."

"Chet tried to get down Bella's pants every chance he had, even if she said no. Paul has been doing the same to me since I caught Buffalo Bill." Clarice stated honestly. "Chet can stay missing for all I care. Bella would be a lot safer in that school if he wasn't there gloating to his buddies about how he was going to sleep with my daughter."

Delia bit back a smile, looking at them both under eyelashes. "Well, you might just get your wish. He told Paul that he was going fishing last night. The boat was floating down the river this morning, but no Chet. There hasn't been word from him since."

Clarice stared back at Delia for moment, waiting for her to continue. But, she never did. "What does that have to do with us? The serial killer is after us, not Krendler." She grabbed one of the two plates she had set out for herself and Bella. "Did Paul point his finger at us? I was on lock-down with you guys all night, and Bella was with Joe at that party until the two agents outside raided the house looking for her."

"Yes, they told me where they found Bella." Delia mentioned, casting a disapproving glance to Bella. "We talked to the boy who threw the party - Ray Thomas. He said that he saw you come shortly after the ballet performance, and he didn't see you leave until everyone was fleeing."

"Joe and I grabbed some food and drinks and headed upstairs. We had a lot to discuss." Bella stated before taking a full plate from Clarice and handing her the empty one. "Like you said, the two agents outside found us. Don't worry about anymore little Lecter's running around. We used protection."

Clarice snickered despite Delia's obvious distaste for the comment before kissing Bella's head. "I'm not ready to be a grandmother, so thank you for that." She waited until Bella seated herself at the island before looking back at Delia. "What exactly are you here for, Delia? Are you accusing us of going after Chet because of a grudge or are you trying to tell us the killer targeting us decided to break his MO?"

Delia leaned against the island next to Bella. "You two were both in places that have been verified by witnesses. There's no evidence to suggest that our serial killer has suddenly switched his tactics. But, we've got a father missing his son who will most likely point his finger at the two of you." She glanced between the two Starlings. "And, we both know that Paul isn't against doing shady things under the table to get his way."

"Bella and I will deal with that if the situation calls for it. As of right now, I think Paul should focus on finding his son before he starts pointing fingers." Clarice explained calmly. "Our stories are air tight with plenty of witnesses. You've got statements, and you already have probable cause to search his financials because of his history with me, if he tries to frame us for something against Chet." She grabbed a carton of juice from the fridge, setting it down between the two glasses at her and Bella's breakfast settings. "I don't believe there is anything else to discuss."

Delia's eyes widened. "Nothing else to discuss. How about the fact that Bella snuck out last night as is being targeted by a serial killer? We still have no clue who the killer is. He could've snatched her up last night and killed her. Then, we'd be looking for two teenagers. People would probably conclude that they ran away together."

Bella gagged. "Excuse me, I'm eating here."

"Let me mother my own daughter, Delia." Clarice butted in, raising up her hand. "You are not a parent to her, so you don't get to scold her about running off or tell her what she did was wrong. Now, I would like a peaceful day with my daughter. I think it's time you go and find that killer you are so worried about."

Delia ran her hand down her face slowly, staring down at the counter when she opened her eyes again. "Clarice, I know what I said the other day hurt you. It was wrong to say, and you know I didn't mean it the way you are making it out to be. I've said sorry, and I'll say it again. I'm sorry. Can't we just move past this?"

Clarice turned off the stove and began washing her hands in the sink. "You said that Bella should've died when I was stabbed in that parking lot. You might not have meant what you said, but you said it. You said it, being there as a witness to my stabbing. Knowing the pain and guilt that I went through. Knowing that, despite the knife not cutting deep enough to kill her, we still almost died from the infection it caused. You knew how excited I was back then to have her, even without her father. You know how much I love being her mother now, even if she does run off to do stupid things in dangerous situations. I don't care whose DNA she has. I would never wish that, much less think it, for my daughter."

"You need to go, Dee." Bella breathed, meeting her eyes. "It's time."

* * *

Bella rummaged through her bag from the night before to throw her clothes in the washing machine. She could hear the treadmill going in Clarice's room, the machine usually folded up in her closet wanting to be forgotten. Throwing clothes into her basket, she paused when she saw the white box and card that had been delivered the day before wishing her good luck in her performance. She sat down on the floor between her bed and bag and pulled out the box. Gingerly lifting out the golden chariot and horses, she opened up the jewelry compartment to pull out the tape.

It wasn't long before the earbuds were in her ears and she was listening to Hannibal's voice once again.

_Ah, my little bird. Although I feel compelled to stay with you, I know that this time apart is necessary, even if you don't quite understand it. The majority of your life has been spent without me, so it may raise a few questions as to why this time is different. I will elaborate._

_Our time together has been brief compared to the length of time you have imagined your long lost daddy coming in to be your Christmas present. I fear that the imagination you have created around me has clouded your judgement. After all, you are jumping head-first into a world you know nothing about, into a world that will despise you just for the very genetic material you possess. _

_You told me that you feel as if you don't belong in this world you are growing into, that you are only yourself when you are home with your mother or around myself. While I understand that painfully empty feeling, you are still in high school. There is still so much for you to explore before you give up on the non-criminal side of society. For instance, you have not had the chance to enter a career field with peers who you can connect with. While this can be attainable even with a false identity, some things cannot._

_As you've probably gathered, your mother and I did not have the normal standards of a relationship. There was no courting, in the traditional sense, or marriage. We got our baby girl, but I did not know about you until now. Even if she would have run away with me all those years ago, your childhood would've been an endless cycle of hiding behind closed doors and waking at all hours of the night to flee to the next country. We would have sheltered you from that as much as possible, but there certainly wouldn't have been any soccer games or lifelong childhood friends._

_While I've never pictured that life for myself, I wonder what you have pictured. Did you imagine yourself as the mom driving the minivan from the carpool to the office? Maybe have the family portrait done every year to hang above a mantle. Have the wedding, birthday parties, graduations. The white picket fence life. If that is the life you wish for yourself, then I must let you go. If you even think that you may want this life, I cannot, in good conscience, take you away from it._

_If you change your mind about wanting to leave, I completely understand, my little bird. I support whatever will make you happy, and I'll be part of your life either way. You've made me a father, first and foremost, and I will be one to you in any circumstance that is set, even if it means watching you from the shadows._

Bella hit the stop button on the walkman, staring down at the now frozen tape. He did pose a very good question, one that she had thought about for years. If she were being honest with herself, the future she had always pictured for herself was the quiet suburban life. She wanted the title of psychiatrist and to come home to a husband and kids where her husband was the father to her kids. A life where her kids grew up with their father. She wanted that core, but there was never a life built outside of those four walls. The view from the living room window could be anything anywhere.

Her future was family.

And, she wanted all of her family.

Scrambling up off the floor and pulling the earbuds from her ears, she rushed out to the railing that looked over the foyer like a bird's nest and turned to Clarice's door. "Mom!"

* * *

Hannibal sat perched on his rooftop again, waiting for agents to vacate Will's apartment building. Another government vehicle had pulled up just a few hours earlier to collect the last of the evidence it seemed. The amount of paperwork and files that were carried out was somewhat alarming, but he found himself curious as to what Will Graham was onto if he really was helping with a local case.

His attention to the vehicle was interrupted though when his burner cell erupted into a fit of vibrations. Lifting it up off of the cement roof, he pressed it to his ear. "Clarice?"

"No, the other Starling of your life." Bella's voice reflected a small smile, and it brought one to his face as well.

"Bellona, my little bird, I have very much been looking forward to talking to you." Hannibal said, a lilt to his usual metallic ring.

Bella curled up by Clarice on her bed, welcoming the comforting arms behind locked doors. "What about?"

Hannibal grinned. "Your performance, of course." His heart swelled hearing her chuckle in the speaker. "You were magnificent. My Bella, I wanted to give you a standing ovation when you had your big finale. You moved as graceful as a swan, but with the strength of a lioness. I couldn't have been prouder of you. When it was over, I just wanted to wrap you up in my arms and tell you how wonderful you were."

"Thank you." Bella whispered.

Hannibal felt the turn in the conversation before she could change the subject. "I have a feeling that's not why you called though."

Bella sighed closing her eyes. "I listened to your tape. The one in the jewelry box I got yesterday." She bit her lip, playing with the blanket that was laying over her and Clarice's legs. "You asked me what I saw for my future. You said you would let me go if I wanted the future of picket white fences and backyard barbecues."

"Well, I don't think I mentioned barbecues, but, yes, I remember." Hannibal hummed. The hand not holding the burner pressed hard against the concrete he sat on, his fingertips protesting against the rough texture. "My word is still good."

Bella felt Clarice start to stroke her hair, gently grazing her scalp with each pass. "The only thing I've pictured for myself is having a family, having a place where I can go home and be myself." She flashed back to the tape, to her childhood. "Mom told you that every year I'd only ask for one thing, for one person. You. Dad, that hasn't changed."

Hannibal felt a weight press down on his chest. "I'll be there for you no matter what. I will make arrangements to stay here as soon as I can-"

"No," Bella smiled, "I want a family, but I want my family. That includes you and Mom. You have your memory palace. I have an imaginary one that has no view yet. I don't care where I am or what I'm doing. I just want my family. That's the only thing I've ever wanted, and I've chosen that future for myself by leaving."

Hannibal ran down the scenarios in his head. "What about Joe? You seem to really care about him."

Bella nodded. "I do, and we'll be together somehow if we're really meant to be together." She let out a relieved chuckle. "You're not going to change my mind. I'm not letting you go anywhere without me, so no more planning to change plans. There's no one backing out on this end."

Clarice gently took the phone from Bella and pressed it to her ear. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bachelor. Looks like you're stuck with us for the rest of your life."

Hannibal laughed and closed his eyes. He tilted his head up to the sky, feeling the sun warm his face. "I gladly welcome the life sentence."

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	43. Chapter 43

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"I'll get it." Clarice said before pausing her and Bella's movie. She stood from the couch, pushing their shared blanket aside, before hurrying to the front door. When she pulled it open though, she was surprised to see Joe standing in between the two agents guarding the house. "Joe!"

"Hi, Mrs. Starling." Joe said, nervously waving his hand. He didn't dare move past the large men on either side of him. "Uh, I was wondering if I could talk to Bella. We didn't really get to finish our conversation last night."

Clarice smirked. "I heard." She moved aside and motioned for him to come in with her hand. "Let him through, guys. He's good company." Standing aside, she let Joe walk in before closing the door. "She's in on the couch. I'll give you two some privacy." He gave her an appreciative nod before leaving her to sit on the staircase.

Bella brought her legs up on the couch when Joe walked in. "What are you doing here?" She gaped at him as he sat down beside her, not bothering to answer her question. "Joe, why are you here? I told you everything I had to say last night."

"Yes, you did, but you didn't let me say what I needed to say." Joe stated, his lips tugging up at the corners. He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a small envelope with his handwriting on it. "I want you to take this with you."

"This is addressed to you though." Bella turned the paper over in her hands. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Joe chuckled, brushing back her hair. "Whenever you're ready, I want you to write me a letter and put it in this envelope. I have a post office box it will go to, so I will get it no matter where I am in the city. We're both young, definitely not ready to be with one person for the rest of our lives. If I decide to join you and you want me to join you, I have a feeling it will be permanent." He tapped the envelope with his finger. "When you feel ready, write me whether you want me to join you or if you've found someone new. Give me a way to contact you, and we can figure things out."

Bella's eyes widened. "You're serious."

Joe rolled his eyes. "No, I'm kidding. Of course, I'm serious." He chuckled with her, brief as it was. "I love you, Bella. More than I thought I did when I left. More than I did yesterday. I'm not ready to commit to something so permanent yet, but I don't think there's anyone on this planet who is even going to hold a candle next to you." He kissed her cheek. "I just want you to know that I don't need the white picket fence. I just want you, maybe a couple kids, and a few adventures."

Bella dropped her forehead to his. "I could give you that when the time is right." She kissed him softly. "I love you."

"You should." Joe smirked. He stood from the couch. "Your guards outside told me five minutes, and I've got a buddy outside waiting in a cold car." He took another second to look at her. "You'll use that envelope, right? I don't give an envelope to just anyone, you know."

Bella giggled, resting her head on the back of the couch. "I'll use it. Thanks, Joe."

She listened as Joe walked out, giving Clarice a farewell hug, before the door opened and closed. It only took a moment for Clarice to return with a smile. "Well, look at you. Ms. Fate Will Bring Us Together may be right about this."

"What would ever make you doubt me?" Bella frowned, but giggled despite herself.

Clarice plopped back down beside her, taking the envelope into her hands to see the address. "You're really going to use this, aren't you?" She handed the envelope back as her daughter nodded. "When you do, just be careful. Any contact with the outside world makes us vulnerable. It's how I caught your father."

"I've already got an idea or two to keep us protected." Bella smirked before setting the paper down on the coffee table. "I've learned from the best."

* * *

Hannibal carefully pried the tape from the doorframe before slipping inside Will's apartment. Putting the tape back into place, he closed the door and turned to survey the one bedroom rental. It was spacious for one person, and he could picture where the boxes of files would've been stacked with the lack of furniture. There was still residue from CSU printing the counter where Clarice said Will's uneaten dinner sat.

He still walked around with his gloves on.

The plate and its contents were gone. The bookcases empty, packed away in the event that they recovered Will. The fridge and freezer had also been cleared out. Thoughts of the agents bickering over who got the week old Chinese food filtered through his head. The pantry was still relatively stocked with the bare minimum and the cabinets were lined with chewed up matts. The floor was still blood stained, but it smelled different from the last time Hannibal saw Will. He moved to the coat closet, only finding an umbrella in the corner. Next was the closet in the bedroom. That had also been packed up besides an empty shoebox on the top shelf.

The emptiness and the guise of night allowed Hannibal to see light peeking out from underneath the wall to the left inside the closet. He reached around the edges of the wall, searching for a gap or hitch he could grip. Nothing was there though. He quickly moved back to the coat closet and did the same. A gape in the bottom corner could have easily been mistaken for a mouse hole. But when Hannibal pulled on it, the whole back wall of the closet moved.

The false wall moved with ease, and Hannibal was gentle as not to break it. That concern was forgotten though when he saw what was on the other side. Shoving the wall back into place, he sprinted out of the apartment, reaching into his pocket for his burner phone. "Pick up the phone, Clarice."

* * *

Clarice hugged her cup of coffee in her hands when Bella bounded into the living room with her bag slung across her chest. "Going somewhere?"

"Winnie needs help studying. I'm done with the class, so I figured if I took an agent it wouldn't be a problem." Bella said with a question at the end, testing out the waters. Her evening with Joe, although permitted my Clarice, was still a move that shouldn't have been made. "I'll have my phone with me the entire time. You said you thought about going to the office anyway."

"To try and find our stalker." Clarice quirked an eyebrow at her daughter. She smiled behind her coffee cup though. "Go ahead. One of the agents outside can drive you. Just behave. We don't need a repeat of Friday night."

Bella shrugged innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about." She sat down at the island across from Clarice, biting her lip worriedly. "Do they have any idea who the killer is yet? We're kind of running blind here. If it's someone like Paul, our trip away will stop his plans. But if it's someone with a grudge against Dad-"

Clarice nodded. "We'll be followed until we know who it is. Leaving would be more dangerous, because we'd be vulnerable in new surroundings in a place where we might not speak the local language." She reached over and cupped Bella's face in her hands. "Your father and I are working on it. I'm hoping something was found in Will's apartment that can lead us to the killer." She glanced at the clock. "Hannibal was supposed to check it out last night himself. I should call him on my way to the office."

"Tell him I saw hi." Bella breathed before standing once again. She walked to the end of the hallway, but paused to turn back to Clarice. "You're sure it's okay. I can always call Winnie and talk her through the chapter in your office."

"No, go ahead. You'll be bored there anyway." Clarice waved her off, walking with her to the front door. She kissed Bella's cheek, brushing back her hair. "Just keep your phone with you, and answer every text or call. I know that sounds overbearing, but-"

"I know. I know. It's just because you love me." Bella rolled her eyes, but grinned anyway. "Love you." She opened the front door, causing both agents to do a one-eighty to face her. "Who's up for a field trip? I'll include you in on all the fun this time. Scouts honor I won't ditch you."

Clarice chuckled softly and watched as she trotted down the stairs with one of the agents hurrying behind her. She nodded good morning to the agent staying behind with her before her eyes moved to the street. Her smile hardened slightly when she saw Hannibal's farm truck parked down the street. Her gut wretched when she noticed the cab was empty.

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	44. Chapter 44

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Clarice closed the front door and leaned heavily against it. The silence was heavy, and she looked around for any sign of Hannibal inside the townhouse. She didn't know how long both agents had been standing by the front door, but it left the perfect opportunity for an intruder through the back.

Her feet carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Sure enough, Hannibal was there, crouched down and digging through her closet. "What are you doing here? Hannibal, it isn't safe. The agents are right outside."

"Where's the phone I gave you?" Hannibal asked, holding up the box with John's belongings. The phone wasn't in there. "I've been trying to get a hold of you all night. Where's the phone, Clarice? I told you to keep it on you." He glanced behind her quickly. "Where's Bella?"

"She just left to study with a friend at her house. The phone is charging downstairs. Bella and I were watching movies, and I forgot to bring it back up. It was hidden." Clarice explained before sitting him down on her bed. "I'm here. Tell me what's going on. What happened at Will's?" She sat down beside him and moved to stroke his back, but he was quick to get back on his feet.

He paced the length of her bedroom. "I have a feeling, and I'm still connecting all the dots on this theory, that Will Graham is the Beer Can Killer."

He continued before Clarice could even form a question. "The blood in his apartment, it's not his. I don't know who's it is, but it's too dull, for lack of a better word, to be his. He also had a hidden space behind his closet. Clarice, there were pictures of you and Bella dating back years. Photographs of the victims and files for each of them. A computer was set up too, playing footage from your street cameras."

"Shit." Clarice breathed. Her eyes paced the floor, tracking back the evidence that they had gathered. "He would be smart enough to know the meaning of Bellona too. The poster with the blood on it. But, how could he possibly know that Bella is yours? How could he know that we've been together? It's been speculated in the FBI for years as a joke, but no one was ever truly serious about it."

Hannibal ran a hand through his thinning hair. "I'm not entirely sure on that either. I mean the math from your birth of Bella backwards would lead to questions, but there's no concrete evidence other than her DNA. You've only met Will the one time at Jack Crawford's funeral."

Clarice nodded. "I wasn't even pregnant then." She stood and reached for her dresser, quickly pulling out clothes to change into. "He's still close to his wife, right?"

"She's his world, so is their son." Hannibal stated.

"I have her number. I will peak at her phone records since Will's disappearance. His phone was left in his apartment. I don't think he'd disappear without finding someway to get ahold of Molly and let her know he's okay." Clarice explained as she stripped down. "If I can find a repeating number to a burner cell, that should lead us to where Will is." She pulled up her jeans as Hannibal rolled up her shirt, holding it up for her to stick her head and arms through. "You cut him across the stomach right, almost gutted him."

Hannibal nodded as if agreeing to some deep psychological notion that had been perplexing hundreds for years. "I did, almost disemboweled him. Why do you ask?"

Clarice straightened out the shirt and moved to the stairs with Hannibal right on her heels. "That would explain why he's carving up half his victims that way." She was careful not to make any loud noises at the bottom of the stairs before walking into the living room. "Think about it. How would Will know that Bella is yours?"

"Clarice, I didn't even know she existed until a few weeks ago." Hannibal stated, watching her retrieve the burner phone from behind a jar containing spices. "Unless he was watching you, I don't know how he would know. If he had gotten proof that Bella was mine, I'm sure he would've handed the evidence over to have you arrested and Bella shipped off to live with a foster family."

Clarice ran a hand through her hair nervously. "Okay, maybe he doesn't have proof. He's known for his weirdly accurate hunches. The people who thought I was in love with you back when we first met in your dungeon started calling Bella 'Hannibal's Little Cannibal' when I was pregnant. If he did the math with that-"

Hannibal finished her sentence. "He'd have a theory with no proof to back it up. The bad joke about the name would just get him laughed out of any office he went into. Why would he start all of this now though? He couldn't have just found out about this. He wouldn't start all of this over a theory. He would need something to push it that much closer to me for him to start killing in psychological warfare."

Clarice slipped both phones into her pockets. "I guess we'll have to ask him when we track him down."

* * *

Opening her front door, Clarice timed the agent turning to see her come out with Hannibal's truck driving by her front door. She clipped her badge to her hip, tucking her shirt behind it, and twirled her car keys on her finger once before gripping them tightly in a fist. "I'd assume you're following."

"I'd prefer we just take the government car. I can drive." The agent stated before casting a sideways glance at her car. "Our killer most likely knows what your car is, and it's not something everyone has. You'd be a moving target."

Clarice smirked and walked past him anyway. "You have me under house surveillance already. You aren't taking away my right to drive myself to work and back." She walked around the car and opened the driver's door. "I presume that you've already inspected the car."

"Yes, Agent Starling."

"Good, then there shouldn't be a problem." Clarice smiled. She could see the frustration mounting on the young man's face, and she had to suppress a chuckle. The last time she had been under an extensive observation was before Bella was born, and she let those agents rule her habits until she finally snapped. This agent, probably the same age as her when she was under fire from Krendler, wasn't going to be dictating her decisions. "Let's get going. We don't have all day."

* * *

The walk to her office was like an early morning walk of shame. Looks of pity and curiosity about the case and about Chet were circling around her, and it showed with each agent she passed. The agent watching her, trusting the FBI building enough, decided he would do some work in his office if she was going to take a while. She didn't argue with him. As much as he probably wanted to get away from her, the feeling was mutual on her end as well.

She closed her door and quickly booted up her computer. Gathering her copy of the case notes, she found Molly's number and bypassed her supervisor approval to comb through Molly's recent activity.

Sure enough, a blocked number showed up on her list multiple times in the past few days. Jotting down the number, she grabbed her own burner cell and dialed Hannibal's number. She glanced out towards the maze of cubicles. Some agents stood chatting and drinking coffee while others rushed by with stacks of files or faxes. Both types classified still took their own chance to stare in at her in her FBI cage. Like a lion in its enclosure, she felt trapped and very exposed to their judgmental gazes. Either she was a victim or tied to some crime that would explain Chet's disappearance. Every other day, these agents would avoid looking at her or speaking with her just because of her history with the bureau, but it seemed that phase was over. She'd slid back down the ladder to swirling rumors about love affairs and crime sprees.

Only in this case, their rumors probably wouldn't be far off from the truth. This time, it felt like the spotlight was hot on her face, and she hoped that she wasn't blushing her involvement behind all of it.

"Hello, Clarice. What did you find?" Hannibal's voice rang in her ear.

"An unknown number has been calling Molly's phone. I'm searching it right now." Her fingers drummed on the number keypad before her middle finger stabbed the enter key. After a few rounds of her computer informing her it was searching, she nearly froze when she saw the location of the phone. "Hannibal, where are you?"

Hannibal quickly glanced around. "I'm in a parking ramp a couple blocks away."

Clarice cleared her search history and stood back up. "I'm coming to meet you."

"What's wrong?" Hannibal questioned, his search more thorough. "You are being watched by that precious young FBI agent. The sparkle in his eyes reminds me of when we first met. Wouldn't he damper our plans if you were to come meet me?"

Clarice hopped onto the elevator, relieved it was empty as the doors closed. "That phone is outside Winnie's house. That's where Bella is."

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	45. Chapter 45

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Bella chuckled watching Winnie dance around her room to a beat in her own head instead of the one playing on her stereo. "You said you wanted to study. Winnie, I'm supposed to be home with guards. Being bored. Yearning to pull my hair out for some excitement."

"There's still a guard here." Winnie smirked before laying on top of Bella's back, peering over her shoulder to the textbook. "And here, you could never be bored, and I would duct tape your hands behind your back before I let you touch this pretty hair of yours."

"Thank you for threatening me with that." Bella giggled. She reached for Winnie's homework when she felt the burning stare of her best friend boring into the side of her face. "Ask what you want to ask, Winnie. The answer to your question is not written on my face."

Winnie sighed and rolled off of Bella, laying beside her sprawled out on her back. "I don't know where to start. Your ex-boyfriend that you are still hopelessly in love with shows up in town, and you fuck him the night the guy who wanted to rape you goes missing. Everybody thinks Chet is dead at the bottom of the river. While we should be celebrating that, I also know that you sleeping with Joe is going to set you back in moving forward. You know, getting on your back for another guy."

Bella shook her head despite the smile that spread across her face. "You are disgusting." She shoved on Winnie's shoulder. "Joe wants to get back together. He had this whole plan of us going to college together in New York. He said he didn't care what was in New York; he just wanted me."

Winnie played with Bella's hair. "That's sweet, but, honey, you realize you're only seventeen, right? He may have discovered the skanks in college don't hold a candle to you, but you haven't met anyone outside of DC. There's plenty of time to sleep around before you commit to sharing his bunk for the rest of your life."

"It wasn't a marriage proposal." Bella said, but she knew that, if she chose him, it would be as good as wedding vows. "I told him no anyway. We're giving 'us' more time to be apart." She sighed before turning to Winnie. "You did tell me I should get laid."

"I meant a new lay." Winnie rolled her eyes, but her attention was diverted when the doorbell rang. "That's weird. Doesn't your guard do all the work of letting someone in?"

Bella laughed as she reached for her phone on the floor. "He's a bodyguard, not a doorman." She frowned when she turned on her screen. "Shit. My mom has called three times. I promised her I would call her back."

"Bella! The door is for you." Winnie's mother called from downstairs.

Winnie met Bella's confused gaze with one of her own. "For you? Who would that be?"

Bella dialed Clarice as she stood as well. "Probably my mom freaking out. One would tend to come looking for their child when they don't answer their phone and some psychopathic maniac has marked them for death." She followed Winnie out towards the top of the staircase, pausing when she saw the guest in the living room. She only recognized him from pictures, but he looked like he had aged decades since they were taken. He was dressed in layers, even leather gloves, and had scratch marks on his face. When his eyes met hers, he smiled at her. "Hello, Bella."

"You're Will Graham." Bella breathed before Clarice picked up on the other end of the line.

Clarice gripped the dashboard as Hannibal sped through the streets of D.C. "Bella! Where are you?"

"I'm still at Winnie's. You'll never believe who showed up." Bella breathed, keeping her eyes trained on Will. He shuffled from one foot to the other before peering outside. "What's going on? I'm sorry I missed your-"

"Bella, listen to me very carefully." Clarice began. She could feel her heart beating in her temples. "Is Will Graham there?"

"Yes."

Hannibal turned onto a backstreet hearing Clarice's breath hitch. He didn't need to hear the conversation to know Bella's answer. Clarice kept her voice calm though. "Remain calm. Don't set him off. We believe he's the Beer Can Killer. Your father and I are on our way. Just stall. Do they still have that back alley behind their house?"

Bella glanced towards the kitchen where the back door was. "Yeah, it's still there."

"Find a way to get out the back door. Make an excuse to leave the room, but he can't follow you. We're in a greenish-blue farm truck, about ten blocks away." Clarice explained. "We'll meet you on the back street. We're coming from my office. So if you don't see us, head in that direction."

"How sure are you?" Bella asked as she slowly made her way down the rest of the stairs.

Clarice pinched her phone between her ear and shoulder before reaching for her gun on her hip, verifying the clip was in and it was loaded. "The FBI could arrest him right now based on what your father found." She cocked the gun, keeping her finger away from the trigger. "Now, hang up the phone normally and excuse yourself to use the main floor bathroom. I'm sure he's going to try and get you out of there."

Bella swallowed hard but put on a smile for Will when he looked at her. "Okay, I'll do that. Bye, Mom." She ended the call before slipping the phone into her back pocket. Her attention quickly turned to Will though. "Sorry, my mom was just checking in to make sure things were going okay." She held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot of good things."

"I could say the same about you." Will squeezed her hand a little tighter than what would qualify for a common handshake. "I know that you don't know me very well, but I've been assigned to your protective detail. With my ability to get into the killer's head, the Bureau thought it would be best to have me by your side. I was actually hoping you could come with me to go pick up your mom. I'd like to go over ways on how to protect you both to the best of our abilities."

"Okay, I'll just use the bathroom first." Bella pulled her hand back, stepping towards the kitchen. She avoided looking at Winnie or either of her parents as she fled towards the back hallway where the bathroom and back door were. Rounding the corner, she glanced back to see Will staring after her, making polite conversation. He could see the back door from where he was standing. There wasn't a way for her to go out that way right now.

Slipping inside the bathroom, Bella locked the door and surveyed the bathroom. "C'mon, Mom, what would you do?" She paused and smiled softly. "Or Dad." She pulled open the medicine cabinet and grabbed the nail clippers, flipping out the small blade usually used to clean underneath fingernails. A small sowing kit sat in the bottom right corner, and she slid the needle from that into her back pocket before closing the cabinet. The window was big enough for her to get out of, but it was impossible to reach it and get out with how high it was.

Taking a deep breath, Bella carefully pulled the door back open, but she was pushed back into the sink when the doorknob practically punched her in the stomach. The force caused her head to smack the mirror, and the haze it left her in blinded her senses before she felt a hand grab a fistful of her hair.

"Hey, get off her!" She heard Winnie's father yell. Some of the fog started to clear from her vision when he rounded the corner. Will's gun was fast to fire though, and Winnie's father fell to the floor with the entirety of his weight.

Bella yelped when Will yanked on her hair like a dog on a leash, taking her with him out towards the kitchen. That's when she heard Winnie's mother scream. "Run!" She didn't stand a chance either. Will pulled Bella closer to him, extending his other arm out beside her before shooting Winnie's mom twice in the chest. Her body collapsed on the floor, part of her body landing on her husband. The gun didn't lower though. Bella looked up, seeing Winnie close to hyperventilation on the spot. "Winnie, go! Run!"

Before Will could fire again, Bella used his hold on her hair against him and jerked to face him, sinking her teeth into his ear. The metallic taste filled her mouth again, but the taste was different from Chet's. Will howled and his arm jerked in time to make his shot burrow into the floor. Baring the nail clippers that she had snagged, she shoved the blade up into his torso. The blade must have hit his rib, because there was a vibration against the metal in her hand.

The stab made him release her hair, and she didn't waste the opportunity to shove him away from her. She lifted up the nail clippers again and shoved the blade down towards his face, and it shocked her when it sunk into his eye. "Shit."

"Bella, we need to go!" Winnie grabbed onto Bella's hand as Will stumbled to the floor, writhing in his pain.

"C'mon." Bella breathed, gripping onto Winnie's hand, before pulling her to the back door. They hurried down the stairs and through the back alley before Bella tugged her towards the main road. "Fuck!"

Winnie wiped at her face furiously even as they sprinted. "Bella, what was that? That guy just killed my parents, tried to kill me. What is going on?"

Bella spotted the farm truck a couple blocks away and stopped at the corner curb, pulling Winnie closer to the building in case Will tried to follow them. "That was Will Graham. My mom told me, when I was on the phone with her, that she thinks he's the Beer Can Killer. He is targeting my mom and I."

"Why? What does he have against you?" Winnie asked.

Bella hugged her best friend, knowing it may be the last time. "You have to promise not to tell. I mean it. It's huge and scary, but it could destroy my family if you tell anyone." She saw Hannibal pull the truck over a block away. Clarice stepped out, but she stood by the passenger door, gazing over at them both. "I need you to trust that everything is fine, and I'm happy with it."

Winnie hugged Bella back, laying her head on her shoulder. "Bella, you're my best friend. You just saved my life from the man who shot my parents. You're all I have right now. Just tell me."

Bella nodded to Clarice before pulling back from Winnie. "I have to show you."

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	46. Chapter 46

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"Mom!" Bella breathed before nearly plowing Clarice over in a hug.

Clarice cupped the back of Bella's head. "Oh my God, baby. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. The blood is Will's." Bella stated before pulling back. "We need to get out of here."

"Get in." Clarice pointed into the truck. "We'll all have to squeeze in." She turned to Winnie, seeing the tears stains on the young girl's face before hugging her. The news was clear. "I'm sorry, Winnie." She kissed the teenager's temple before urging her inside, quickly climbing in behind her to prevent a reaction on the sidewalk.

Hannibal wrapped an arm around Bella, kissing her head. "I see my advice has been put to good use." He started up the truck when Clarice closed her door. "So, are we going to address the cannibal in the truck?"

Winnie's eyes widened as she looked over at the driver. "Holy shit! You're Hannibal Lecter." She looked between Clarice and Bella. "How? Why? How?"

"He's my dad, Winnie." Bella sighed. "I just found out last week, but our ties to him is why Graham is after us. At least, that's the last we thought." She looked around her friend to Clarice, eyebrows raised.

Clarice nodded. "We don't know how he would know yet, but yes. That is still our working theory. Your father found a hidden shrine dedicated to the three of us in Will's apartment. I already called Delia. They are sending agents over to the townhouse, and she's expecting the three of us for questioning. Was Will alive when you left him?"

Bella lifted her hand up to wipe his blood off of her face with her sleeve, but Hannibal pushed it back down. "Yes, but he's hurt pretty bad. I don't know the damage I did to his ear, but I stabbed nail clippers into his left eye. He won't be able to go far without getting attention."

"That's my girl." Hannibal whispered before turning back to drop Clarice and the girls off at her car. "I understand today has been traumatic for you, and this is more to take in. But, we need to trust you, Winnie. Can we trust you?"

"I'm sorry all of this happened, Winnie." Bella apologized. "I never saw this coming, and it's the last thing I wanted. But, I promise you. We will make sure Will pays for what he did to those girls, to your parents, to you. He won't get away with it."

Winnie squeezed Bella's hand into hers. "This is insane. I hope you know that. I mean, your dad is a serial killer wanted by the FBI. I don't know how this happened, and, to be completely honest, I'm a little sick thinking about how this all started in the first place." She sighed, but met Bella's eyes. "Your mom picked us up, and that's it. I won't say anything else about it." She looked around Bella to Hannibal. "Can I ask you for a favor though?"

Hannibal nodded once. "For keeping my secret and my little bird's, I will return the favor without question."

"Little bird?" Winnie smirked at Bella, nudging her shoulder. She looked back to Hannibal. "Can you at least finish off the Krendler you started eighteen years ago? He's kind of an asshole and won't leave these two alone."

Hannibal let a hint of a smile tug at his lips before he turned into the parking ramp where he met Clarice's car. "I believe I can fulfill that happily."

* * *

Bella was grateful when the nurse was through collecting evidence and allowed her to wipe the drying blood from her chin. The injuries she sustained hadn't even been noticed with the adrenaline running through her system until she was told to lay down for an examination. The doorknob left a large purple bruise just below her belly button, and the mirror left small pieces of glass lodged in her scalp. They had given her five stitches to help heal the multiple lacerations in her hairline, and Clarice was eager to hold an ice pack over it to ease the swelling.

"Here, hold the ice pack for a second." Clarice demanded before taking the wet wipe from her daughter. She ran the cloth down Bella's chin and down to the neckline of her shirt. It almost looked like Bella had a fountain of blood erupting from her mouth, and it used up the cloth before it was completely wiped away. "I know you probably feel like crap right now, but you did pretty well considering you were up against a serial killer." She snagged another wipe from the counter before going back to work.

"Thank you, I guess." Bella smiled lightly. "I've been attacked by two people this weekend, and my gut reaction has been to bite both of them. What does that say about me?"

Clarice tugged at the collar of Bella's shirt, pressing the wet wipe to the fabric to get out the blood stain as much as possible. "You're not the only one to defend themselves by biting another person, Bella. I've done it. We've both tasted blood. That doesn't automatically make us cannibals." She tossed the wipes into the trash before gazing back at her teenager. "Does that notion scare you? Being like your father."

Bella shrugged before removing the ice pack from her head. Clarice was quick to take it back and press it against her head again. "I'm already like him. I just don't know how to feel about possibly enjoying eating people. I've never been exactly pro-cannibal."

Clarice chuckled before kissing Bella's cheek. "You can find out in your own time. You are your own person. Your father and I can't change that. Unfortunately, you took after us and are way too stubborn."

Their conversation was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Delia stepped inside with notes in hand. "How you feeling, Bella?"

"Like someone just tried to kill me." Bella huffed. She rolled her shoulder, grimacing at the ache that seemed to seep into her bones. "You probably think I'm crazy though because I told you Will Graham attacked me before killing Winnie's parents. Did you guys arrest him?"

"We didn't find him in the house." Delia stated. "What you told us, what Winnie told us, we know what happened. We are running blood at the scene. It looks like Graham got the nail clippers out, and he sacrificed his eye to do it. We'll have to test DNA to verify it's his, but I don't see who else it could be." She handed over a file to Clarice, and Bella took over holding the ice pack so Clarice could open it. "The blood found in Will's apartment came back as one of the victims for the Beer Can Killer. He might have been luring in some of his victims by taking them out for dates."

Clarice looked through the file, seeing pictures of Will's apartment taken before and after it was cleared out. "So, he's on the loose."

Delia rested her hands on her hips, her shoulders dropping as if the weight of her day was settling on them. "He could run."

"He won't." Clarice stated, a slight edge in her voice. "Jack Crawford trained him. He won't go anywhere until the job is done. In this case, Bella and I are the job." She pulled out the photo taken from inside Will's coat closet, seeing the fake mouse hole Hannibal was talking about. "Did he ever make a complaint to his landlord?"

Delia frowned looking at the photo. "No, why?"

Clarice pointed to the mouse hole. "The building is new enough and clean enough that mice shouldn't be a problem. If Will didn't call his landlord about a mouse, why is there a whole in his wall?"

"It could've been something he stored in there. I can talk with the landlord to see the inspection report Will filled out when he signed his lease." Delia speculated before slipping the picture back into the file. "I'd like to put the two of you in a hotel until we catch him. He's already broken down the door to your house-"

"Yeah, and being in your care still ended up with your agent and my friend's parents dying and me in the hospital." Bella snapped before hopping off of the exam table. "I was almost killed today by someone the FBI once employed and trusted. I want to go home and forget today even happened."

Delia bit her lip. "He knows where you live-"

Clarice held up her hands. "He also followed Bella and tried to take her hostage." She readjusted the ice pack on Bella's head. "Will Graham was willing to slaughter everyone in that house to get to her, but he never even pointed his gun at her. He doesn't want to just kill her. He wants her for something."

"Yes, to rape her." Delia spat. "Need I remind you of the poster that he stuck to your door with his own blood. The girls he takes that are Bella's age are mutilated with a knife that he shoves between their legs until it looks like their stomachs have exploded. He wants to carve up Bella's reproductive system like it's a piece of beef waiting for the butcher."

Bella felt the bile in the back of her throat as she bit back a gag. If she threw up, the doctor would most definitely keep her overnight for observation, and she wanted to be as far away from this place as possible. "It's not like I'm looking to reproduce right now." Her eyes widened at her own statement and she gripped Clarice's arm. "Mom, can I talk to you for a second?"

Clarice motioned for Delia to leave, ignoring the obvious disbelief on her friend's face. "We'd like the room, please." It took longer than it should've, but Delia eventually left the room before Clarice looked back to her daughter. "What's wrong?"

"Will's motive isn't to kill me." Bella breathed, nearly panting with her realization. "He wants to kill me, make you and Dad suffer, but it's not his main goal. Do you remember the nightmare I had a few nights ago?"

"Yes, you scared Hannibal and I to death." Clarice stated before pausing. "You said the killer wanted to end the Lecter line."

Bella nodded. "He wants to rid the world of the last of us before I can add anymore to it." She took a ragged breath, leaning back against the table. "Dad was the last survivor of his family, and you extended his family by having me. We're it."

Clarice ran a hand through her hair. "He's going to want to make a show of it too. He'll want the world to know that the bloodline is gone." She hugged Bella tightly, kissing the side of her head. "I'm not going to let that happen."

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	47. Chapter 47

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Clarice stood behind the island, watching Bella stare at the front door instead of watching the television she had turned on over an hour ago. She had pressed the power button on the remote, but hadn't bothered to change the channel as her attention was trained towards one of the two exits in their house. "Bella, honey, I think we should consider going to a hotel until Will is caught."

"We'd be sitting ducks." Bella stated.

"We're going to be that no matter where we go. At least, we can be better protected at a hotel." Clarice explained, walking around the island and over to the couch. "A hotel room has one way in and one way out. We'll have two agents outside the door and a few others standing around the floor and by the elevators. I could call your father. Maybe we could have something arranged beforehand so he can stay with us."

Bella's eyes widened. "And have us all in one place? That's exactly what he wants."

Clarice sat down and cupped Bella's face in her hands. "Baby, do you really think that we would let anything happen if Will showed up? I'll have my gun. Your father. . .well your father can really find anything to use. If we have any say in it, he's not even going to get near you."

"What if he does?" Bella asked in a near whisper, tears clouded her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, taking a shallow breath. "He was so close, Mom."

Clarice kissed Bella's forehead before forcing their eyes to meet. "I'll die before I let him touch you."

* * *

"Who's the guy who was driving?" Bella asked Clarice as they walked up to the check-in counter with their bags.

"Um, some new agent. I think his last name is Cooper. Why? Did he say something?" Clarice asked before a tall woman in a skirt suit approached her. "Hello, I'm Clarice Starling. I believe my husband left us two key cards."

The woman smiled. "Yes, let me go grab them."

Bella waited as the clerk turned and started searching a wall of cubby holes, glancing back at Cooper who was talking with another agent about the hotel's floor plans. "I think my head might've hit the mirror too hard, because he's kind of cute."

Clarice chuckled, nodding her thanks to the clerk. "We need to get you to bed. Those pain meds are making you loopy."

"Oh c'mon, we could end up together. Who knows? Twenty-five years down the road he and I could reminisce over having an enemy of ours for dinner." Bella stated dreamily, acting like a swooning damsel in distress. "Oh my God, I'm going insane."

"You're room is 1218. Your husband didn't tell us when you would be checking out though." The clerk stated, tapping on the keyboard.

Clarice handed one of the cards to Bella. "That's correct. We aren't entirely sure when we'll be leaving, but I assure you that we will give you notice as soon as we know. He prides himself on being as courteous as possible." She nudged Bella's side when she giggled. "Thank you for the keys."

* * *

"The room is all clear, Ma'am." Agent Cooper stated to Delia standing outside their hotel room.

Delia nodded and turned to Clarice and Bella. "Alright, you two are all set." She stepped back when Bella nearly plowed her over to get into the room. "You're welcome. You know, I'm only ensuring your safety." She looked back to Clarice. "Are you going to just ignore me too?"

"Thank you, to all of you, for making this work. My daughter and I both appreciate it. Now if you'll excuse me, we've both had a long day, and I need to make sure Bella is going to sleep through the night without having a nightmare of Will Graham murdering her." Clarice looked at all of them before moving to the door, noticing that Cooper was staring after Bella as she plopped her things on one of the two beds inside. "You're Cooper, right?"

"Yes, Agent Starling." He stood straight, snapping like a rubber band from the door.

Clarice smiled and patted his shoulder. "I hope your wandering eyes protect my daughter just as much as they are ogling her." She tossed her bag inside, stepping in herself, before kicking the door closed. As soon as she latched the door, Bella was looking under the beds and through the closet. "Honey, he's not in here."

Bella frowned. "Then, where is he?"

"Look out on the balcony." Clarice smirked as she peeled off her jacket. She chuckled when Bella hurried outside to the balcony and looked to her left and right and nearly jumped out of her skin when Hannibal lowered himself down from the balcony above.

Hannibal grunted landing on his feet, exhaling sharply. "I'm getting too old for things like that." He smiled when Bella hugged him, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her. His happiness was cut short though when he smelled blood. He tensed and looked down at her scalp, seeing the stitches holding together a rather large gash. "How did that happen?"

Bella laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes hearing his heartbeat. "I hit my head on the mirror in Winnie's bathroom. I'm fine."

Hannibal moved them inside, closing the balcony doors behind them, before he kissed Clarice gently. His attention returned to his daughter though, pulling her back for inspection. "What else did he do?"

"Nothing really." Bella rolled her eyes. "I was opening the door to the bathroom when she shoved it into me. I flew back against the sink and hit my head on the mirror. There was a struggle. He held me by my hair when he shot and killed Winnie's parents. When he aimed his gun to shoot her, I turned and bit his ear before stabbing the nail clippers into his eye." She sighed when Hannibal started lifting her arms, shoving her sleeves up to look at her skin. "Seriously, I'm fine."

Things weren't fine though when he lifted the front of her shirt to inspect her stomach and saw the doorknob impression bruised into her gut. His eyes widened, and he had to bit his tongue when she forced her shirt back down to cover her stomach. "Did they check for internal damage?"

Clarice motioned for Bella to sit down before resting her hand on Hannibal's shoulder. "They did a full examination. Other than the stitches and the bruise, she's in perfect health. We were lucky that's all he got away with." She handed Bella a bottle of water, urging her to drink it. "They gave her some pain meds for her head, but she didn't have a concussion. If it still hurts, they said to keep ice on it."

"The doctor also made a joke that it was a good thing I wasn't pregnant, because the blow to my stomach would've most likely caused trauma with the force behind it." Bella huffed before laying back on the bed. "I'm not looking to continue the bloodline just yet."

"I'd hope not, but speaking of that. I do believe I have figured out why Will is coming after you." Hannibal proclaimed, sitting down beside her and looking up at Clarice. "I was reminded of Bella's nightmare from the other night, and my guess is that Will is trying to destroy my familial pool, my DNA."

Clarice smirked, leaning back against the dresser. "Bella and I thought about that today at the hospital. He wants to end the line of Lecter with her. He probably wants to kill me for carrying her and having her."

Hannibal shook his head. "I believe I am no good for the two of you."

"Let's not start this crock of bullshit again." Bella grumbled before sitting back up and hugging him from behind. She rested her chin on his shoulder. "Besides, it isn't your decision. You've protected both of us, and we love you. I've spent seventeen years wanting my dad for Christmas. You aren't taking away my wish for the eighteenth."

Clarice quirked her eyebrows. "Since when do you think staying here with the FBI is better than running off with you anyway?"

Hannibal's eyes met hers, a grin forming on his lips. "That would never be better." He gingerly cupped the side of Bella's head and kissed her cheek. "I'm just speaking my observations out loud is all. I've never been one to stay away from things that are bad for me. Coming back for you certainly wasn't in my best interest to keep my freedom. But, it was what made me happy."

Bella leaned against Hannibal's side. "While we're on the subject of being happy, my head is throbbing. Is there any ice around here?"

"I believe I saw an ice machine at the end of the hallway. I'd go get some, but I believe my presence would set off some alarms with the boys outside." Hannibal stated before grabbing the ice bucket and handing it to Clarice. "I'll inspect the stitches and ensure that they are done correctly."

Clarice quickly slipped out of the room, glancing between the two agents. "Have either of you two seen the ice machine?"

Cooper nodded. "Around the corner in a small hallway on the left." He pointed in the direction that he had seen it. "There's a few vending machines there as well. Drinks, snacks, the normal things."

"Thanks." Clarice nodded before walking around the corner. It was easy to find the hallway. A large ice storage container, three vending machines, and two doors. One led to the stairwell and the other was marked for employees only and held open by a vacuum. The janitor stood just inside, his back turned to her, in a blue jumpsuit that reminded her of when she first met Hannibal.

She moved to the ice machine, lifting up the cover and grabbing the metal scoop inside. Her arm stopped mid-scoop though when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She turned just in time to see Will coming at her with a gun. Lifting up the scoop, she smacked it into his face, causing him to step back. It wasn't enough of a step though. His gun was raised quickly and the butt of it cracked the back of her neck, making her vision blur and her ears ring. His hands were on her back, and she was on the ground before she could realize what was happening.

That's when she heard the door slam shut. He locked her inside the janitor's closet. The metal scoop was still in her hands, but, before she could bang it against the door to signal for help, the fire alarm went off.

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	48. Chapter 48

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Hannibal and Bella both stood when the fire alarm rang out, the bulb labeled 'fire' flashing in the corner above them. "That's not good." Hannibal breathed, keeping a protective arm around his daughter.

That's when the door shook with the banging of a fist. Cooper's voice called in from the other side. "Ms. Starling, we need to evacuate the building now. Do not grab anything. Come out now."

"Dad, Will's here." Bella stated, gripping onto his hand. "That has to be him."

"Go with the agents. There's four on this floor. They will protect you and your mother." Hannibal ordered her, guiding her towards the door. He kissed her forehead. "I will find a way to get back to you two. Now go." He hid behind the door as he opened it for Bella.

Bella was pulled out by Cooper, and she looked back to see the door close behind her. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she didn't see Clarice with the agents. "Where's my mom?"

"We are looking for her." One of the agents said behind her. He urged her forward. "We need to go, Miss."

Bella felt their hands grab at her arms to walk with her towards the elevators, but she looked up to see Will coming towards them and raising his gun. "Gun!" She ripped free from the agents and rushed back to her hotel room door. Her hands shook as she heard first and second gunshots. She didn't dare look back, even hearing the drop of bodies on the floor. The third gunshot hit her ears as her fingers grabbed the key card in her pocket, the fourth shot ringing out right after.

The fifth sent a pain coursing up her leg, and she dropped to the floor, crying out. She looked back down the hall to see Will coming closer. The ear she had bit was mangled, and it looked like he had cut off the piece she had damaged. The eye she stabbed was covered with an eyepatch, blood seeping out like teardrops below it.

Bella pounded on the door and screamed. "Daddy!"

The door opened, and Hannibal's hand reached out to her. "Bella!" When her hand slapped into his, he yanked her inside the room and kicked the door shut. He quickly moved over her, seeing the gunshot wound in her thigh. Her hand still clung to his, and her body wracked with sobs. "We need to get the bullet out. It doesn't appear to have hit any veins or arteries."

The door shook again, the doorknob rattling as if it were about to break off. Another shot rang out, and the door flew open to reveal Will. Hannibal moved in front of Bella, blocking her, and he felt her sit up and cling to his back. "Good evening, Will."

"Dr. Lecter." Will greeted, his voice low. He motioned for Hannibal to move to the side. "I've come to call on your daughter."

"I cannot let you do that." Hannibal's voice was calm, but he pulled Bella closer with his hand on the small of her back. "I know that you harbor ill feelings towards me, but Bella has nothing to do with what has transpired between us."

Will pointed his gun at Bella. "I've met her once, and she's already tasted my blood. The DNA she has needs to be destroyed. That also includes you."

Hannibal glanced towards the hallway. "Where's Agent Starling, Will?"

"Here's what's going to happen." Will stated. "You are going to dress the wound in your daughter's leg. I have a van downstairs. You will carry her down and load her in, and I will leave with her. Agent Starling is in the janitor's closet. If the firemen haven't found her, you can come back up and get her. I will call on the two of you when we're ready. Don't worry. I won't kill your daughter until you arrive."

"I'll need a first aid kit." Hannibal stated before removing his tie. He folded it over before handing it to Bella. "You're going to want to bite down on this when the time comes." Pulling out his harpy, he tried to ignore Bella's whine when he started cutting off the denim leg of her jeans to allow him full access. He peered over his shoulder to Will when he walked over with a first aid kit from the closet. "I'll need alcohol to sterilize the wound."

Will moved to the mini fridge. "Anything in particular, Doctor?"

Hannibal smirked at Bella. "Anything but tequila." He was somewhat relieved when Bella let out a strangled chuckle, but her tears kept flowing. Will handed him a small bottle of vodka with the top already unsealed. "Alright, it's time to use that tie, because this is going to hurt."

Will pushed the barrel of the gun against the back of Hannibal's neck. "Let's move this along."

Bella put the folded tie in her mouth with a shaking hand before Hannibal urged her to lay on her back. Closing her eyes, she counted how many beats her heart made in her ears until the vodka hit her leg, sending another burning sensation. Her teeth clenched around the tie as it muffled her cry.

Hannibal put a hand on her stomach to help her settle down but turned to speak to Will. "Get me a few towels from the bathroom." He looked back to Bella, her eyes clenched shut and her chest expanding and collapsing at an alarming rate. "Bella, I need you to take deep breaths. I know this hurts, but I can't have you passing out on me." She nodded, but doing as he asked was proving difficult for her. He gritted his own teeth when Will tossed the towels on top of Bella as if tossing trash into a garbage bin. "That was very rude, Will."

"I wasn't hoping to be polite." Will stated before repositioning his arm. "You're lucky I'm letting you help her at all."

Hannibal took one of the towels and pressed it against Bella's hands. Her nails were threatening to break the skin of her palms with her white knuckle grip. "Hold onto this." She grasped onto it, her fists trembling. Grabbing another towel, he placed it underneath Bella's leg carefully to absorb the blood seeping out. With the last, he wiped away the access alcohol. "Okay, I'm going to remove the bullet. I need you to stay as still as possible. Do you understand, Bella?"

Bella straightened out her leg with a great deal of effort, nodding up at Hannibal. He dug in the first aid kit, quickly finding the tweezers and pouring alcohol over them. Pressing a hand down on her thigh above the bleeding, he guided the tweezers into the wound until he felt the resistance of the bullet. She jerked at the first contact but relaxed her leg again, taking deep breaths. "Hold tight." He whispered.

Once he opened the tweezers, her entire body began trembling. He knew the small metal ends were digging into her tissues so he could get a grip on the bullet. Despite her trembling, he was able to grab the bullet and ease it out of her thigh. His initial assessment was right when only a small trickle of blood followed the bullet. No bleeding out to worry about. He dropped the bullet into his palm and pocketed it before grabbing a bandage, pressing it over the hole. "Alright, Bella, the worst is over. May I have my tie back?"

Bella opened her mouth, taking the tie out, and sat up. "Holy shit." She watched as Hannibal straightened out the purple fabric, and she lifted her leg enough for him to wrap it around her thigh and tie it off. She chuckled through the pain, her teeth gritted together as she glared at Will. "You are going to die tonight."

"That's not what I have planned." Will smiled at her before lifting his eye patch. He had pulled out the nail clippers and the eye, leaving a bloody socket. "You are going to pay for this."

"Right back at you." Bella spat.

Will nudged Hannibal's shoulder. "Pick her up. Let's go."

Hannibal moved his arms under Bella's legs carefully. "Put your arm around my neck." Once she was secure, he moved his other arm under her back and hugged her ribcage against his before picking her up. "You okay?"

"Define okay." Bella rolled her eyes as she held onto Hannibal. "Are you gonna get Mom?"

"Yes, when I find her, we'll come get you." Hannibal explained calmly as he stepped onto the elevator ahead of Will. "Will has graciously agreed to not kill you until we are there. He wants me to suffer by watching you die."

Bella grunted when the sudden movement of the elevator made Hannibal hold her tighter. "How comforting." She laid her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. "I told you we should've just left when I decided."

Hannibal grinned. Obviously his daughter wasn't even going to let a bullet take away her sarcasm. "If we make it through tonight, it looks like you'll get your wish. It seems as though we'll have to wait for Will to call on us. Is there anything you want us to grab?"

"Anything you gave me, including the tapes." Bella hummed softly. "My hawk. The blanket Mom and I made. The walkman. Joe gave me an envelope with his name on it. I think it's on the coffee table in the living room still."

The elevator doors opened, and Will prodded Hannibal forward with the gun jabbed into his spine. He walked off and saw a large blue van close by. "I will be sure to get those." He waited while Will opened up the back doors to the van. It was engineered like a cage. The only way in and out was through the back, blocked off from the front with bars. A queen mattress was in the back, and Hannibal wondered if Will had made this his living arrangement when his apartment was raided.

Bella felt Hannibal's grip on her tighten when he saw the mattress in the back, and she felt her own stomach drop. But, she had a feeling that Will wouldn't get much enjoyment out of torturing her in the back of a van when nobody was around. He wanted revenge on Hannibal, not her. "It's okay, Daddy."

Hannibal maneuvered himself onto the bumper, gently setting Bella down on the mattress. He grabbed the pillows, setting one behind Bella's back and the other under her injured leg. "Are you comfortable?"

"As much as I can be." Bella breathed before hugging him. "Promise you'll come back for me."

"I promise my life to you, little bird." Hannibal whispered. He cupped her cheek in his hand, kissing her forehead. "We'll be there before you know it." He gently tapped the tie pin and tack still attached to the tie around her leg. "Keep pressure off of this bandage."

Bella glanced down at the two items before nodding. "I will."

Hannibal kept his composure when he nearly fell out of the vehicle with Will yanking at the collar of his shirt. "It's nice to see you genuinely care about someone, Doctor. It will make it all the more enjoyable for me when I make you watch the life drain out of her." Will said with a hint of admiration in his voice. With his gun still trained on Hannibal, he slammed the two doors shut and backed up to the driver's seat. "Go get your girl, Doctor. Keep that burner on you. I'll let you know when we're ready."

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	49. Chapter 49

**Please review! Warning! This chapter is very graphic in violence.**

Hannibal sprinted out of the elevator and towards the small hallway where he knew the ice machine was. The fire alarm was still blaring, and he knew it was only a matter of minutes before more FBI agents started swarming the building with four agents dead in the hallway unresponsive. When he reached the hallway, he could hear something solid hitting the janitor's door. "Clarice!"

"Hannibal!" It was her. "The door is locked. I can't get out."

"Hold on!" Hannibal called out to her before seeing the ice machine was on wheels. He got behind it and rolled it parallel with the door, lining it up with the doorknob. Shoving his shoulder into the side of it, he used all his weight and rammed the ice box into the doorknob, breaking it off. He backed away from the door. "Jump against the door with all your body weight."

A moment later, the door flung open and Clarice stumbled out, Hannibal quickly grabbing her. "Hannibal, Will is here."

Hannibal took her hand into his, pulling her with him towards the elevators. "I know. He just left with Bella."

"He what?!" Clarice ripped her hand from Hannibal and pounded on the down arrow to call for the elevator. "Where did he go? He wants to torture Bella. He wants to rape her, to kill her."

"I know that, but he's not doing it to hurt her. He wants to hurt me." Hannibal stated. He cupped her face in his hands. "I put a tracker on her bandage, in my tie pin. They're still on the move, but he passed by your place. We need to go and grab our things. Once we end this, we can't stick around. We'll need to leave as soon as we get Bella and Will is taken care of."

Clarice nodded before pecking his lips. When she pulled back, she froze seeing the blood on his hands. "Don't tell me that's Bella's blood."

Hannibal sighed as the elevator doors opened, and he pulled Clarice in with him. "It is hers, but she's okay. Will shot her leg. I got the bullet out and dressed the wound. No permanent damage other than a scar once it heals." He stabbed his fingers into the button for the garage. "I promise you that she was okay when I put her in the van. She was as sarcastic as ever."

Clarice sucked in a deep breath, shaking her head. "I can't lose her, Hannibal."

"We're not going to." Hannibal reassured her before hugging her against his chest. He kissed her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo that never seemed to leave her auburn hair even in their most precarious situations. "We'll get her back, and we'll start our lives together. As a family."

* * *

Bella pulled out the tack from the tie and slipped it inside her mouth when Will had his eyes on the road ahead of him. Whatever road it was had lots of potholes and bumps that made her jostle around. It was beginning to make her nauseous.

"Hey!" Will shouted at her. She looked back at him to see him open a small slot in the cage material. He held two items in his hand - a pair of handcuffs and something she'd only ever seen in pictures in old scientific journal articles. "Put these on. You've already caused enough trouble."

The two items fell onto the mattress beside her and she grimaced as she reached for them. "You do realize that you're going to die, right? Kinship or no kinship. Whatever friendship you had with my father is void now that you're coming after us."

"He tried to kill me long ago. It wouldn't be the first time." Will stated before yanking the slot closed. "The men that killed your grandparents, your aunt, should've killed your father while they had him. He shouldn't be allowed to walk this Earth, and he's dealt this fate to you."

Bella frowned as she rested the cuffs in her lap to focus on the other item. "I'm looking to run away, not become a serial cannibal killer. I may have his DNA, but I'm not my father. I'm not really my mother either. Just because you carry DNA from someone doesn't mean that you are going to end up just like them."

Will watched as she put the second item on, pulling off the road. "No, but we can't chance it with your DNA."

* * *

Clarice rushed into her room, grabbing her duffle bag from the closet and stuffing a few clothes and items from Hannibal inside. She emptied out her safe, dumping the contents into her bag as well, before going to the box of John's things. Pushing everything aside but the gun, she pulled the weapon out and loaded it as Hannibal walked in with a full bag of Bella's things. She held the gun out to him. "Take it."

Hannibal set Bella's bag down next to Clarice's on the bed, taking the gun from her and reloading the gun to get a handle on it. "I think I got everything of Bella's. The hawk, the tapes, the walkman, the jewelry box, and the envelope addressed to Joe. There's enough clothes for a week. Is there anything else?"

"Did your guy get Bella's new birth certificate done?" Clarice asked before picking up her own gun and loading it.

"Yes, he has our new identities as well." Hannibal stated, slipping the gun into his belt. "He's made three for each of us. They should get us to Argentina without problem." He zipped up Clarice's bag as a set of headlights lit up her bedroom. "That must be him. He gets antsy around guns, so don't flash it."

Clarice's eyes widened as Hannibal grabbed their bags and headed downstairs. She quickly followed him. "You invited him here. What if he called the FBI to rat you out?"

Hannibal smiled, setting their bags by the front door. "The FBI wants him more than they want me. He likes the cyber crimes I believe you call them." He opened the door and stepped aside as their guest walked in with a bag of his own. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Cordell."

"You freed me from Mason. I'm happy to free the two of you." Cordell smiled politely before pulling out his file of paperwork. "Alright, here are your passports, three for each of you. Driver's licenses are inside each passport. Here are the train tickets down to Florida. It leaves at two. Don't miss it." He handed the thick envelope to Clarice before pulling out another file. "Alright, down to the paperwork. I have all of Bella's information on here. Just a few details I want to go over. What did you want her last name to be?"

"Starling-Lecter." Clarice said without a beat. "That's what she wanted."

Cordell wrote out the name and turned it to them. "Hannibal, I'll have you sign. Clarice, how did you want to sign?"

Clarice frowned. "What do you mean?"

Cordell pulled out another certificate. "Hannibal also mentioned a marriage between the two of you. If you want to stay Clarice Starling, we'll leave it at that. Otherwise, we can change it to Lecter or Starling-Lecter."

"Starling-Lecter." Clarice said after a moment before smirking at Hannibal. "Surprise marriage?"

"You mentioned it would be nice. He's going to file it with the wedding date being the night we first touched, back in Memphis. That is if you still think it would be nice." Hannibal shrugged with his own grin. "I thought the same."

Clarice smiled. "How fitting. Looks like you're making me an honest woman after all."

Cordell laid out the other certificate. "Then, I will change your name in the system as well when I get all of this filed. Just sign above your names. Clarice Starling-Lecter." As they were signing, he glanced around the townhouse. "This is a nice place. It's a shame you can't take all this stuff with you."

Clarice handed him the completed marriage certificate. "I've never been a person who clings to material things. Everything that matters to me is in those bags or part of my family." She signed her name on Bella's new birth certificate, verifying all the information on it was correct from the original. "I gotta say. I never thought I would be this happy to see you, Cordell."

"Your husband said the same thing when he first tracked me down." Cordell smirked before Clarice handed him the birth certificate. He slipped the paperwork back into his bag and zipped it up. "I will get that witness signature and file this in seventy-two hours. Is that enough time for you to get out?"

Hannibal stuffed their new credentials into Bella's bag. "We should be off American soil by this time tomorrow." He shook Cordell's hand. "Say hello to Barney for us when you get his signature. Whatever items of mine he has left are about to become a lot more valuable."

* * *

"Stop the truck. That's gotta be it. It's the only place around with the lights on." Clarice stated looking down at the tracker Hannibal had. He turned off the truck in the middle of the old metal and freight yard by the docks. One of the large pole sheds was lit up, the doors wide open, and the blue van parked just inside. They were just outside the gate, far enough away to keep their arrival unnoticed. "We need to be careful. His plan might be to kill Bella as soon as he sees us."

Hannibal cocked his gun after pulling it out of his belt. "I'll let you lead, Special Agent Starling."

Clarice hopped out of the truck, leaving the door open to remain quiet. "It's Special Agent Starling-Lecter now." She smirked up at him before both their attentions were captured by a cry coming out of the pole shed. Her chest immediately clenched and a weight settled uneasily in the pit of her stomach. It was Bella. "Hannibal?"

"Go. I'm behind you." Hannibal hurried around the truck to her before they both took off towards the pole shed.

* * *

"Mother fucker!" Bella sobbed as she felt the scalpel pierce her back again. She grabbed onto the edge of the surgical table, the pulse monitor on her finger clinking against the metal. She felt her blood dripping down her side, pooling below her stomach. Even when Will removed the surgical tool, her skin still stung. But, he didn't leave her alone for long. Another swipe of his scalpel sent a cry ripping out of her throat before he could peel away the portion of skin he had carved. Part of it was still attached, creating a wing of skin laying over her left arm and leaving her muscles exposed.

Will smiled at his work, walking around and leaning over to meet her eyes. "There, one wing done for the angel you will be."

Bella's entire body was tense, trying to focus on anything but the pain. "Can you take the mask off? I can't breathe in it."

"I can't trust your mouth. This mask worked for your father when he was in the hospital. It will work for you in your final hours." Will stated before running his hand over the unharmed half of her back. It kept lowering until his hand was grabbing between her thighs, still covered by her ruined jeans. "I will make you my creation, not Hannibal's. I will make you mine before you die. It's the only way for you to have a chance."

Bella clenched the tie tack in her palm. "A chance for what? If you kill me, I have nothing."

Will picked up a fish hook from the small tray of surgical tools. "A chance at a happy afterlife."

* * *

Clarice watched Will stand over Bella in the glass cage he had built. There were holes along the bottom and top, much like the glass that had once contained Hannibal in the psychiatric hospital, and a camera stood outside the front of the cage. The red light indicating it was recording Will's actions against Bella. There was a single door closest to her and Hannibal. It had no door handle though. Attached to Will's belt was a controller of some sort with a green and red button, and she concluded it had to be to open and shut the door.

"We need to distract him." Hannibal whispered. "Get him away from Bella."

"We can't shoot the cage. If it's pure glass, it could shatter down and injury Bella internally." Clarice stated. When Will reached for his scalpel again, she picked up a wrench on a barrel next to her and chucked it towards the camera. It didn't hit it, but it accomplished what she wanted it to.

Will stopped just shy of piercing Bella's skin again, tossing the scalpel down next to her arm before moving towards the front of the cage. He grinned seeing the wrench on the ground. "It looks like Mommy and Daddy are here for you after all, Bella. They thought they could surprise us, huh? Alright, Doctor, show yourself."

Clarice motioned for Hannibal to make a move towards the door while she moved around the barrels. As Will looked around wildly for them, she lifted her gun and pointed it at him before showing herself, only a few feet from the camera. "You're done, Will. It's over."

"Nice try, Starling." Will smirked, walking like a man who just won the lottery. "Bulletproof glass. You're not getting in. But, I can give you a show." He took a step back towards Bella, but kept his eyes on Clarice. "Don't you love my newest creation. I'm not done, but I think she's coming along just fine."

Bella didn't waste the opportunity. Shoving the back off the tie tack, she thrust the prick into the cuffs and struggled to pop them open. The use of her back muscles sent a stabbing pain down her spine. With Will's back to her, she grabbed the scalpel before reaching out and pressing the green button on the controller. The pressure and sound of the door caused him to turn, and she didn't waste a second swinging the instrument and slicing his stomach.

Clarice and Hannibal ran forward when Will dropped against the glass wall, using it to stay on his feet. Clarice kept her gun pointed at Will while Hannibal moved over to Bella, switching the scalpel in her hand with the gun. "Bella, list off the days of the week for me."

"I'm fine. Just get the fucking mask off." Bella ignored his request. She knew he was checking her lucidness, but she would welcome passing out at this point. The pain coursing through her body was nearly unbearable.

Hannibal quickly cut the straps away, careful not to cut Bella and kept her hair away from her exposed muscles. Slowly removing the mask, he was relieved to see that Will hadn't decided to carve her face as a rude surprise. He caressed her cheek and turned her head to lay her cheek on to cold metal. "Relax for me. I'll take care of you in a moment." He pulled the cuffs off of the table where Bella left them and turned to Will.

Clarice jutted her gun towards Will. "Turn around. Don't you dare fucking try anything." Hannibal walked up behind Will and cuffed his hands. "Check his pockets. I'll take that remote."

Once Hannibal secured the cuffs, he removed the remote from Will's belt and tossed away everything from his pockets. Feeling around his waist, he smiled when Will grimaced against his hand on the slice Bella had made. His gun was tucked into his pants there. Lifting Will's shirt, he pulled out the gun and placed it in Bella's other hand. He forced Will to sit down before forcing him forward. With the scalpel in hand, Hannibal made a small but deep incision in his lower back.

The resistance in his legs instantly retracted.

"If you cannot feel your legs, it is because I just severed that part of your spinal cord. I can't be rude, mind you. For carving up my daughter, I must return the favor." Hannibal stated before handing the scalpel to Clarice. "I need to retrieve my medical bag from the truck. I have anesthetic there, and Bella needs to be stitched back up as soon as possible. It will help with her recovery."

"Please hurry." Bella breathed, listening to the beep of her own heart on the monitor beside her. She heard Hannibal sprint out of the cage and out of the pole shed. "Mommy? Can we go away now?"

Clarice wheeled the surgical table away from Will before crouching down beside her, stroking her hair. "Our bags are packed. We are leaving right after this." She glanced back at Will before Bella opened her eyes, making Clarice smile. "Hey baby. Looks like you really are your father's little bird now."

"Don't make me laugh." Bella groaned through a smile. "It fucking hurts. It's only one wing anyway."

"That's one more than you're supposed to have." Clarice rolled her eyes. She brushed a strand of hair out of Bella's face, tapping her nose with her index finger. "I have some good news for you. Your father and I met with a. . .an acquaintance of ours earlier. If anyone ever asks, you're Bellona Darion Starling-Lecter. We just signed your new birth certificate." She smiled seeing Bella tear up, a grin plastering her face. "You won't go another Christmas without your father."

Bella wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Really?"

Clarice nodded, helping wipe away the tears. "Yep. Unfortunately, you're going to have to deal with some newlyweds for a while."

Bella's eyes widened, her jaw dropping. "You got married! Without me?"

"We signed papers. We'll celebrate when we get to where we're going." Clarice chuckled before Hannibal ran back in. She could see the pain on his face. He was trying to distract himself from his guilt by attending to her much needed medical assistance. "Our daughter is upset that she didn't get to attend our wedding, Hannibal."

Bella turned her head to the other side to look up at Hannibal. "Yeah, what gives? You got to be there for my ballet."

Hannibal shook his head, a smile forming on his lips even as he tried to hide it. He started measuring out the anesthetic. "I didn't get to be there for your birth."

"That shouldn't have even happened." Will gritted out from his place on the floor. "If you hadn't turned, you could've prevented all of this."

"If I hadn't turned. . ." Clarice froze, her grip on Bella's arm tightening protectively. She slowly turned to Will, standing up with the scalpel in her hand. "You stabbed me when I was pregnant."

Will smirked with a nod. "It wasn't hard to figure out you were having his child." He leaned back heavily against the glass cage wall, panting slightly. "I was in town, aiding with the search for Dr. Lecter when you went missing. After you were found and Hannibal got away, I knew he would most likely try to contact you. I sat in my car outside your house that night, just watching. I never saw the doctor, but I learned of your pregnancy a few months later. It was too big of a coincidence." He grunted as he tried to move himself using his arms. "I came up and tracked you for a month. I thought the job was done when I stabbed you."

Clarice set her gun down, tightening her grip on the scalpel. "But, it wasn't."

"No, I found out last spring. Paul Krendler called me about my time with Dr. Lecter as some part of his therapy." Will stated. "He told me his son was going on a date with Starling's daughter. I knew my job wasn't done."

"So, you became the Beer Can Killer and waited until Hannibal showed up to help." Clarice concluded, stepping closer to him. "Hannibal, how long is it going to take you to stitch up Bella?"

Hannibal injected the drugs into Bella's back, gently prodding it to flow through her bloodstream quicker. "A while. Enough time for whatever you want to do. I just need to find my needle." He grabbed his needle and thread and poked his daughter's back along the cut flesh. "Can you feel that?"

Bella shook her head, not even feeling pressure when Hannibal lifted the flap of her skin back over onto her back. "No. . .I don't. There's a needle in my back pocket."

"Okay, now you are going to lose consciousness soon. That's what's supposed to happen. I've given you enough to wake up in an hour." Hannibal explained. He glanced up at Clarice and nodded. "We're okay here. Do your worst. Just keep him alive enough for me."

Clarice placed her hand on top of Will's head. "You wanted to kill me the same way Hannibal tried to kill you. Well, I don't intend on killing you. I'm only interested in your pain. One of my husband's patients comes to mind. I may not have any angel dust on me, and I certainly don't trust you enough to give you your own knife. So, I'll make do with what I have." She saw the worry fill Will's eyes. "You know which patient I'm talking about, don't you?"

Forcing Will's body forward, she moved behind him and took his jaw into her hand. "You don't ever threaten a mother, Will. You'll never win." She lowered the scalpel to his mouth, hooking it into the left side of his mouth and yanking back. His whole cheek sliced open, flapping down over his jaw as blood coated his teeth. He howled and tried to pull away from Clarice, but she kept her hold on him and repeated the process on the other cheek. His blood dripped down into her hands, onto his shirt and lap. She wiped it off on his shoulder to prevent her hand from slipping and cutting itself on the blade.

She pressed her hand to his forehead, forcing him back so she could have a clear sightline to his mouth and jaw, making the scalpel work along his gums and teeth and hitting bone a few times. With every swipe of her blade, more blood poured and pieces of his flesh dropped onto the dusty concrete. When she was through, when his teeth and gums had no protection left, she let him go, taking the eye patch with her.

His removal of his eye hadn't removed the tear duct. Tears flowed from both sides, and she was sure the salt from them were adding to the pain she had left him with. It was nothing compared to the psychological pain he left her in after the stabbing, having to deal with someone trying to kill her baby and leaving her without the choice to have more. His pain wouldn't last nearly as long.

As she walked back to the surgical table, she could see that Hannibal was almost done stitching Bella back up. He was working quickly, but his stitches looked better than the ones Bella had put in earlier that day on her head. Will groaned and sobbed on the floor beside them, but he wasn't important in that moment. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Luckily, Will only cut her flesh. With it still fresh, the stitches should help it heal nicely. Obviously, it will scar, but she will be fully functional. At most, she may have some nerve damage in the skin." Hannibal stated before finishing up the last stitch and grabbing an alcohol wipe. "She's going to be just fine."

Clarice let out a sigh of relief. "Good." Once he wiped down the stitches, he grabbed the bandages. She reached out and gently touched his arm. "Let me. Go do what you need to do."

Hannibal met her eyes for one moment before his body tensed, filling with rage. He placed the bandages on the table next to Bella and motioned to the door. "Let's roll her out of here. I am curious to use the fish hooks Will has hung." He spoke, gesturing to the two hooks hanging down from a beam in the pole shed. They dangled down through two holes in the cage, resting on the floor at the moment.

Once Hannibal helped Clarice roll out the table with Bella and his medical bag, he stepped back inside and used the remote to close the door. The buttons weren't just to close and open the door though. As the door closed, the hooks pulled up off the floor and stopped halfway up the cage, leaving whatever hung there to be nearly five feet off the floor. It wasn't a cage after all. It was a display case.

"Will, you surprise me." Hannibal grinned before opening the door again and letting the hooks lower down to the floor. He walked over to Will and grabbed him from behind. "I must say. I am rather impressed with what you've built here. Now, I can't let you use this for my daughter. She's my daughter after all. I intend to spend the rest of my life with her and my new wife, but I won't let your creation go to waste."

Will fought him as best he could, his blood flying in different directions. "No, Doctor. Please!"

Hannibal gazed down into Will's eyes. "You intended to rape my daughter tonight. If she said no, if she pleaded with you to stop, would you have?" He smiled down at him when he didn't answer. Pulling out his harpy, Hannibal cut off Will's shirt. "You left my daughter bare, so I will do the same to you. I will mark you as you have marked her and finish what I started long ago."

He yanked the useless material off of Will's frame before picking up the fish hooks. "Nice quality line too. Looks like something to catch a shark with." Pressing his thumbs inward, he let the hooks sink into the muscles behind Will's shoulders. He pulled at the lines to test their strength and the give in Will's skin. Satisfied, he pressed his harpy into Will's shoulder blade and began cutting over to the spine and down, carving back out once he hit the lumbar section. The skin flapped out much like Bella's had, and he stuck it onto the hook to keep it as wing-like as possible.

And with one final act, the first strike against Will. He walked around to Will's front, seeing the old scar from where he had nearly disemboweled him and the new laceration Bella had created, slightly deeper than a flesh wound. His had been a desperate act to prevent his capture. "Like you, I'm looking to finish the job tonight. Ta, ta, William."

One slice of the harpy and his stomach slit like a flower opening in a nature film. His intestines started spilling out and pooling blood beneath him. Slipping his old mask over Will's face for a little surprise to whoever discovered him, Hannibal stood and walked out of the display case before pushing the red button to close the door. Will was raised up, hands still cuffed, and dripped the last remains of his life onto the cement floor below.

He didn't look back as he walked over to Clarice, seeing her finish up with Bella. "We need to get her dressed before we leave. Her jeans are missing a pant leg, and I don't know where Will put her shirt."

"I've packed clothes for her. She should be awake in time for our next stop." Hannibal reassured her. "I believe I have a promise to fulfill before we leave."

**Please review!**


	50. Chapter 50

**Please review!**

Hannibal pulled the van up in front of the gate, glancing into the back to see Clarice easing Bella into consciousness. "We're here. How is she doing?"

"She's coming out of it." Clarice breathed before opening up Bella's bag and pulling out a loose top and pants for her. "Do you have anything to give her for the pain?"

"Only stuff that will knock her out. We'll have to wait until we get on the train to give her anymore relief." Hannibal sighed before getting out and hurrying around to the back doors, climbing in next to Clarice. He smiled down at his daughter when her eyes slowly opened. "Good evening, Bella."

Bella frowned up at them before looking around to see the interior of the van. "Where are we? What's going on?" When she tried to sit up, her face contorted into one of agony before a cry ripped from her throat. Hannibal rested his hand on her back, the other over her mouth to muffle the noise, and helped her up. Clarice quickly held out the shirt for Bella, adjusting it once it was over her head so she could cover her bare chest. "Fucking hell. Why does it still feel like I'm being ripped apart?"

Clarice squeezed her hand. "Sorry, baby. We should've protected you better than we did." She placed the pants in her lap. "Your father and I have one thing we need to do before we head to the train station. It should only take a couple of minutes. Just change into these and relax. Your back needs to heal."

Hannibal nodded in agreement and held the shirt still for Bella when she grimaced trying to find the arm holes with the pain coursing through her. "If you take it easy, you'll be dancing to the Nutcracker for us at Christmas." He kissed her forehead. "If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have put you in here to leave with Will."

"I know that." Bella stated, looking between both her parents. "I know you two would've rather been the person on the table to take my place if it meant I would be spared. I don't blame you." She reached back and pulled her hair out of the bun Will had put it in before slicing into her. "What happened to Will anyway?"

"He won't come back to hurt any of us again." Clarice promised.

* * *

He groaned as soon as he opened the door and saw Clarice Starling on his doorstep. "They sent you. Really? The agency is afraid the person who killed my son is going to come after me, and they send one of the two people involved."

"I didn't kill your son, Paul." Clarice stated before stepping inside the house. "Is your wife home?"

"No, she was hysterical with grief. I had to admit her into the hospital today." Paul grumbled, turning his back to head for the kitchen. "Why? Did you finally come around to ask for your cunt to be mine."

Clarice followed him slowly, smiling when she saw Hannibal slip in through the side door. "Actually, I came here with my new husband. We just got married, and he wanted to talk to you about some things over dinner."

Paul snorted out a laugh as he filled a glass with scotch. "The last time I was at a dinner table with you ended up with me missing a section of my brain. I'm not sitting down with you for anything." He slid the bottle back into place with a shrug. "But, I never thought you'd find a husband, so congrats I guess."

"Thank you, Paul. I'm so happy you approve." Hannibal's metallic voice rang out from behind Clarice, his hand resting on the small of her back.

Paul jumped, spitting out the little scotch he had just attempted to swallow, before turning to see Hannibal and Clarice. "Dr. Lecter. You're here?"

Hannibal grinned before kissing Clarice's cheek. "I can't just leave my new wife alone on our wedding night. Besides, I wanted to see my daughter's ballet performance. It was good enough reason to come back to America. I figured I'd pop in to say hello."

Paul's eyes widened. "Daughter?! Hannibal's Little Cannibal! I was right all these years. That little bitch is yours." He pointed his finger at Hannibal despite backing away from his advances. "If you were here Friday, you probably killed my son."

Clarice followed behind Hannibal as they cornered Paul into the dining room. "We didn't kill your son, Paul. Hannibal was following Bella Friday night at the party since the Beer Can Killer was after her." She walked to the far side of the dining room table as Paul fell into one of the chairs to avoid Hannibal. "And, you told him all about Bella and I."

"I didn't know Will would go psycho and start murdering girls because of the two of you. I get you two are pains in the asses, but he could've just killed the two of you instead of tracking down all these other girls." Paul defended himself in the best way he knew how. He held up his hands as if in surrender. "I swear."

Hannibal smiled and looked over to Clarice. "What do you feel like, my dear?"

Clarice leaned on the table with a grin, taking a moment. "If I remember your recipes, I always wanted to try your chicken liver pate. I have all of them out in my bag. One of my mementos I stole from evidence."

"Ah, Clarice, you have outdone yourself." Hannibal winked before his harpy blade sprang out.

* * *

Bella opened her eyes when she heard the back doors of the van open up. The driver's door also opened ahead of her, and she was surprised that Hannibal and Clarice had traded places. Hannibal crawled inside and pulled the doors closed behind him. "How are you doing, my little bird?"

"That tequila is sounding pretty good right now." Bella huffed out, watching him pull out clothes from Clarice's bag and pass them to her in the front seat. She frowned though when she saw the blood covering Hannibal's clothes. "That isn't yours, is it?"

"No, but thank you for your concern." Hannibal smiled before pulling his shirt over his head. He grabbed another from his bag and started on his pants. When he was wearing fresh clothes, he reached ahead and took Clarice's bloody clothes from her and set them with his in a plastic bag. He tossed a wet wipe up front as the van started before wiping down himself with another. "Alright, this is probably going to hurt. I need to check your stitches."

Bella nodded and closed her eyes when she felt Hannibal tug her shirt up her torso, keeping it away from the torn skin of her back even as the van jostled on the road. She pressed her lips into a hard line as he pulled the bandage away. "You kept your promise."

Hannibal, seeing minimal blood on the bandage, carefully taped it back down. "What promise was that?"

Bella felt him smooth her shirt back down, only touching the good side of her back. "You came back for me. Everybody said that you would never risk yourself to save another. You proved them all wrong."

"I want you to know something." Hannibal breathed before laying down on the van floor, resting his head on his hand to be eye level with his daughter. He caressed her cheek, brushing her hair away from her face. "Whether I promised or not or wanted to prove the world wrong, I will save you every chance I get. No matter who stands in my way." He kissed her forehead. "I believe I owe you an apology though. This is my fault."

Bella closed her eyes again, smiling as he started urging them shut. "All things considered, I'm pretty sure this is a victory for us." She reached up and took his hand into hers, squeezing it. "Just take us home, Daddy."

"Speaking of home, how are we getting there?" Clarice asked from the front seat, glimpsing at Hannibal in the rearview. "The train ride to Orlando is eighteen hours. If they don't find Will, they'll still have the tapes from the hotel and Bella's blood confirming she is your daughter. We'll all be wanted by then. They'll be looking for us at the airports."

Hannibal kneeled by the small window in the cage. "Looks like we'll have to find a ride by boat." He glanced back at Bella. "A couple days should leave her ready to get on a plane. We'll just have to monitor her stitches." He reached through and squeezed her shoulder. "We'll make it there."

* * *

Delia stormed off the elevator, immediately stopping when she saw the four dead FBI agents on the hallway floor. Their forensic analysts and the coroner stood around them like crows to roadkill. Only one of them had the time to reach for their service weapon by the looks of it, and their blood saturated the carpet to the point where it pooled around everyone's shoes when pressure was applied. The hotel room door to Clarice and Bella's room was wide open, a bullet hole where the doorknob should be. Bloody towels lay on the floor by a small blood stain in the carpet.

"Who's blood is that?" Delia asked, her voice low.

"We are waiting for security camera tapes from the hotel manager, but the hotel door was closed when these four were shot." Another agent stated, pointing to the blood spatter on the door. "Whoever was shot was brought in here. Looks like they were patched up. The first aid kit was out, vodka shot bottle empty, and towels used. No bullet was recovered, so the shooter either took it with him or it was a stab wound."

Delia ran a hand down her face. "Let's face it. We all know who the shooter is." She turned when the elevator rung and another agent came sprinting out with an electronic tablet in his hands. "What's wrong?"

He panted slightly before handing her the device. "Security tapes. Look who was here."

Delia hit the play button and watched one camera showing Will popping out of a janitor's closet and shoving Clarice inside. He walked around the corner and fired off five shots before any of their men could withdraw their guns. The fifth bullet hit Bella's thigh, knocking her to the ground. A second later, before Will could get to her, the hotel room door opened. A hand popped out and grabbed onto Bella before yanking her inside.

"Who is that?" Delia asked, continuing to watch the video as Will shot the door down.

"The last person in the world you would expect." He stated beside her.

Delia rolled her eyes. "If Paul Krendler comes out of that room, I might as well hand in my badge."

The agent paused. "Alright, the second person you would least expect." He saw her eye roll and knew a reprimand was coming, so he reached over and skipped the video ahead a few minutes. "Here."

Delia sighed and looked back down, but all of her annoyance was forgotten when she saw the next few minutes of camera footage between the hotel room door and the elevator. "That's Hannibal Lecter. He's here in Washington."

"That's not all." He skipped the video ahead another few minutes to show Hannibal coming back up and retrieving Clarice. The camera showed them rushing back to the elevator, and Clarice kissing him before they got on. "Looks like the rumors about her and Hannibal were true after all."

"Collect the blood in the hotel room for rush DNA testing. I want to know once and for all if Hannibal Lecter is Bella Starling's father." Delia demanded before shoving the tablet back into the agent's chest. "Keep Dr. Lecter's arrival within the agency. If it gets out, someone is going to be without a job in the morning. I want everyone on the lookout for Clarice and Bella. They are our number one priority right now. Airports, bus stations, the works. I want to know where they are now. Will Graham had his gun pointed to Dr. Lecter the entire time. They aren't working together, and Will obviously isn't working with us anymore. Move!"

* * *

Hannibal moved Bella towards the back doors of the van, along with their bags, when Clarice came back from the train station with a wheel chair in tow. She locked the wheels in place before holding out her arms. "Alright, baby, nice and easy."

Bella bit her lip as Hannibal helped her onto the ground with as much ease as possible. She gripped onto her mother though when pain shot up her leg and to the bullet hole in her thigh. "Fuck me."

"Swear once we get into our cabin on the train." Clarice reminded her before lowering her gently into the chair. Taking one of the pillows from Will's mattress, she used it to cushion Bella's back as much as possible.

Hannibal hopped out of the van and slid Bella's bag over his shoulder, taking out their new ID cards. "Just in case we need them." He handed Bella both her and Clarice's cards before picking up the other two bags and closing the van doors. "Remember, under the radar."

* * *

Delia sat in her car staring blankly ahead.

The image of Clarice leaning over to kiss Hannibal was burned into her mind. The image hadn't been the best quality, but it was clear. She wasn't forced. Knowing the doctor, it could've been manipulation of some kind, but Clarice knew him inside and out. Apparently, that was also literal.

Clenching her eyes shut, she screamed at the steering wheel, pounding her fists against the dashboard. How could she have been so blind? Everything she needed to know was right there in front of her. It would have been so easy to take a DNA swap from Bella during one of their sleepovers or when she babysat. But, she wanted to believe her friend hadn't willingly fucked a cannibalistic serial killer after watching him dissect and cook a colleague's brain in front of her. Every other person in the agency had their theories, she stood up for Clarice even though she never knew who Bella's father was.

The anger continued to build when she realized how angry Clarice got over her ideas about Hannibal the Cannibal. No wonder she was adamant that he wasn't the Beer Can Killer. Delia may not have studied the psychiatrist, but she knew that he had some sort of bond with Clarice that prevented him from killing her. Now, she knew why. Killing his daughter and the mother of his child would be the ultimate betrayal of his self being. He wouldn't be just a killer who took out those he saw as people beneath him, not superior to him.

He saw Clarice as his equal.

It made sense now why Will wanted to kill Clarice and Bella. Other than Hannibal, they were his last connections. Clarice gave birth to his heir. Will's trauma and state of mind had gone downhill since his last encounter with Hannibal, and something caused him to snap now and become one of the worst serial killers the city had seen.

When her chest felt like it couldn't take another wail, she collapsed back in her seat and opened her eyes. In the sun vizor, a picture of Clarice, Bella, and herself was stashed. It was older, back when Bella's age didn't need a third hand to count. She saw it - the resemblance to Hannibal. There were small characteristics, nothing that could point her out of a line up, but they were there.

"How long did Hannibal know about you, Bella?"

Her train of thought blew off the tracks when an agent knocked on her window. She quickly rolled it down, about to ask what more there could possibly be, but he spoke before she could. "Clarice and Bella's phones just turned back on. They're at Paul Krendler's house."

* * *

"You are just four doors down." The ticket taker smiled at them, gesturing down the narrow hallway with his white gloved hand. "The cabin has a queen and a bunk above, and you requested the cabin with the bathroom. I can see you've ridden a train before." He scanned all their tickets quickly. "Breakfast ends at ten in the dining cart. If you have any questions, I or one of my colleagues will be walking through the carts or the staff in the dining cart can help."

"Thank you." Hannibal smiled politely before turning to Clarice and allowing her to go ahead of him. "Ladies first."

Clarice smiled and pushed Bella forward until they were into their cabin, stepping aside so Hannibal could enter and set their bags down. She closed the door and turned to see Hannibal already laying out the queen bed. "What do you need?"

Hannibal moved to Bella and did his best not to cause her pain by lifting her to stand. "Damp wash cloth with warm water. I want to clean her stitches and test her sense of feel before I give her anymore drugs."

"I vote drugs." Bella groaned before Hannibal eased her onto the mattress, closer to the edge. She relaxed once on it, letting Hannibal move her shirt and arms the way he wanted them for him to check her back. "After the night I've had, I think I deserve it."

Hannibal got out his medical bag and prepared another shot of anesthetic. "You deserve a tray of drugs. I'd like to get you on some antibiotics, but it's too dangerous right now to visit a pharmacist." He glanced back up at her head, seeing the stitches the doctor had done while she was at the hospital. "Did you get any today after your visit to the doctor?"

Bella heard Clarice walk out of the bathroom with a wet washcloth. "Mom would know if we did."

"Mom would know what?" Clarice asked, resting her hands on her hips.

Hannibal gestured to Bella's scalp. "Did she get any antibiotics today?"

Clarice nodded and grabbed her bag. "Yes, I grabbed those along with your birth control. I'd rather not risk your night with Joe leading to me being a grandmother already." She pulled out the bottle and read the side. "Take one pill every twelve hours for ten days."

"Splendid." Hannibal smiled before removing the bandage from Bella's back. "We're going to have to replace the bandage. You're going to need to keep one on for the next forty-eight hours unless it starts bleeding." He grabbed the washcloth. "Now, I'm going to test out your back to see if you've lost feeling anywhere. If you feeling the washcloth, tap your fingers against the bed."

Bella nodded and closed her eyes, waiting until she felt the washcloth and tapping each time. Other than the annoyance at the pain she was in, the warm water was helping soothe her sore muscles from her stress. After a couple minutes, Hannibal's hand came over hers. "Are we done?"

Hannibal set the washcloth down on his leg. "Yes, I'll give you the drugs now."

Clarice sat down beside Hannibal and took Bella's hand into hers as Hannibal got ready with the needle. "Just squeeze my hand, baby."

"Have her take the antibiotic first." Hannibal breathed before grabbing the bottle from her bag. He handed her one of the bottled waters that were put in the cabin before they arrived. Once Bella took the pill and water and swallowed them down, Hannibal pushed the needle into her bloodstream and let the contents flow in. He noticed that Bella had only squeezed Clarice's hand slightly and wondered how much pain his daughter was in if his needle in her torn skin only caused that.

He didn't want to linger on the thought for too long.

Stroking the good side of her back, he pushed the drugs around her system a little faster and listened until her breathing evened out. She would be happy until morning at least, and the drugs would prevent any nightmares. A jolt in the night could damage her back even further. As he replaced the bandage with a fresh one, he glanced up at Clarice. "Hell of a wedding night, huh?"

Clarice chuckled and took his hand into hers, leaning back against the booth seat with him. "One could argue our wedding night was the night she was conceived." She laid her head on his shoulder. "Stop beating yourself up. Despite her injuries, she's healthy and somewhat happy. She knows that you didn't want to put her in that van tonight with Will. I know that you would've taken her right back out and killed Will in the parking ramp if given the chance." She brought his hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles. "She didn't even lose her sarcasm."

Hannibal let out a small chuckle, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "That she did not." He rested his head on Clarice's, looking at Will's handiwork carved onto his daughter's back. "My enemies will learn about the two of you. Will wasn't the only one."

"You are better at hiding than anybody else I know." Clarice breathed. "I'm good at tracking people down. Once Bella heals up, we'll teach her. How to run, how to track, how to survive. She knows how to use a gun."

"I'll get her a harpy for Christmas." Hannibal whispered with a small bob of his head. "We need to prepare her."

Clarice rubbed his arm. "We will. The question is, can you stop creating enemies?" She sat up, turning towards him. "I know that your killing of those people was to rid your social circles of the rude and inadequate, and they became meals to host lavish dinner parties. But, you're not alone in this world anymore. Hannibal, you have a family now. Your own family. I mean, are your skills as a serial killer going to only be used when necessary or should we install a drain in the basement for your meal preparation?"

Hannibal squeezed her hand. "I'm not sure. The last time I had a family, I was still an innocent child." He pulled her back to him, wrapping his arm around her. "I will keep us safe though. I will try to adapt and only use force under the utmost duress." He kissed her forehead, happy when she laid her head back down on his shoulder. "For our family."

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	51. Chapter 51

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_"Daddy?"_

_Hannibal's fingers on the theremin halted hearing Bella's voice call out for him. He stood slowly, his eyes boring holes into the wooden sliding doors of his office. Literal holes. It was like watching acid eat at foam. A disease eating flesh. The dark mahogany of his study was quickly invaded by the white light emanating from the next room. The light shined on him, boring itself from an angel wing._

_An angel wing attached to Bella's back._

_The skin that he had stitched back on was torn away once more, leaving her muscles bare. In fact, she was completely bare, and so was Will standing behind her. In his hand, a beating heart. The smell of the blood dripping from it was all Hannibal needed to know it was Bella's. Despite the organ being in Will's hand, it kept beating, strong and steady. But, it stopped the moment Will lifted it to his mouth and bit into it. _

_Hannibal fought his body to move forward, but the glass display case was around the two once more. There was nothing he could do but watch Will consume Bella's heart as she screamed inaudibly on the surgical table._

His eyes sprung open to see Bella and Clarice fast asleep on the queen mattress in the train cabin. Bella's back was covered, all of her was. She was safe in between Clarice and himself, still fast asleep with the drugs running through her system.

Sighing, he sat up on the booth seat, his back stiff from the lack of support, but he ignored it. He grabbed the flashlight from his medical bag and carefully lifted Bella's shirt. He only relaxed when he saw the very early signs of healing.

Clarice squinted when she opened her eyes to find Hannibal checking over Bella's wound. "What's wrong? Did she start bleeding?"

"No, just being cautious." Hannibal breathed before turning off his flashlight and putting the bandage back. He ran a hand down his face, looking back at his new wife sitting in the dark. "And, protective. I just woke up myself. It seems Will Graham has decided to haunt my dreams and make them nightmares." He tossed his flashlight back into his bag. "What about you? How are you feeling finding out that Will was also your attacker during pregnancy?"

Clarice leaned back against the wall, bringing her legs up to her chest. "Betrayed for the most part. When you first fled back in Memphis, I spoke with him about you. He told me we shared a kinship of sorts being two of your favorite people. He knew the politics and bullshit of the FBI, and he warned me about Jack just like you did. I barely knew him, but he was the only other person I could talk to who actually understood you." She looked down at her hands. "I never would've thought he would come after me just because I was carrying your child." She bit her lip before peering up at Hannibal under her eyelashes. "I don't regret what I did to him tonight though."

Hannibal nodded. "I'm happy you don't. I was rather proud of what you did to Will tonight." He rubbed his own hands together. "I never wanted to harm Will. What I have done to him has been in the interest of preserving my freedom or seeing what would happen. My intentions were never to end his life, just prevent him from invading mine. Tonight though, the friendship I once had with him was just a mockery. Real at one point, but it could never be salvaged after what he had done."

"One could argue he was trying to repay the favor for sending a killer to his house." Clarice whispered, reminding him of a reason the FBI might come up with to help defend their credibility.

Hannibal shrugged. "That could be said, but our intentions were both very different."

* * *

"It was a bloodbath."

Delia stared at the corpse of Paul Krendler, mutilated to the point of mush barely hanging onto bone in places. An arrow stuck out of his blood soaked chest. The blood had poured out from his throat, but that wasn't the fatal wound. It was surgical, calculated. The blood that poured was only for effect. His gut had been torn apart by multiple blades that were still left in his flesh, standing stiff in his arms as if they were used as cutting boards. From his dissected gut, his organs were removed and laid out on the dining table like an oversized diagram of what the human digestive system should've looked like.

That still wasn't what killed Krendler.

They had determined Paul had swallowed his own tongue and died that way. Above the slice to his throat, a nail had been hammered in to make him stick to the chair he was on. The nail had punctured his tongue as well, pinning it against the back of his throat.

"The liver and kidneys are missing. Two people participated in the killing. Judging by the blood loss, one person slit his throat at the same time the arrow was shot. Both had to be done within seconds of his swallowing of his tongue."

Delia gulped, looking away from the body. "It was Hannibal. He got Clarice and Bella away from Will. So, we need to find Will."

"He's going to be dead."

"I know." Delia whispered before walking out of the room.

* * *

Bella groaned waking up, moving to stretch her arms, but she froze as soon as the pain kicked in. Every nerve of her back tensed and turned to fire, leaving her hands clenching onto the sheets in white-knuckled fists. Burying her face into her pillow, she muffled her whimper before feeling a delicate hand on the back of her head. "I need a month long coma."

"You need to take your pain medication." Clarice stated. "We should also take your antibiotics around ten. We can get you on a twelve hour schedule with those." She was about to grab her bag when Hannibal stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed it for her. "The doctor gave us enough medication to cover most of your healing time. Although, this was to help with your head."

Hannibal dried his hair with his towel before sitting down on the booth beside his daughter. "She's already starting to heal. Stitches will be ready to come out by the time her meds are gone." He reached up and squeezed her fist reassuringly. "You're going to be fine, Bella. Let's change your bandage. Your mother already brought breakfast back for us, and I know that you are hungry. I could hear your stomach growling around seven."

Bella rolled her eyes as she felt him rolling up her shirt. "Well, excuse me. I would assume you burn a lot of calories dealing with a crazed serial killer who is targeting you." She cringed when he pulled the tape away from her skin. "I could go for almost anything right now."

"We do have some of Paul Krendler sitting on ice." Hannibal smirked, tapping the cooler beside him. "Your mother and I were craving chicken liver pate once we get settled somewhere in Florida." He smiled seeing no blood on the bandage. He tossed the used one away before grabbing a fresh one from his bag. "We also have some kidneys to use up as well."

Bella glanced at the cooler. "I can't tell if you're joking or not."

Clarice pulled Bella's shirt back down once Hannibal taped the new bandage in place. "Your father and I took care of Paul last night. We didn't think it was right that all of him went to waste." She helped Bella sit up, cushioning a pillow behind her against the cabin wall. "You don't have to have any though."

"I already got a taste of one Krendler. You two can have this one." Bella stated before seeing the breakfast tray of eggs, bacon, and fruit. Her mouth watered, and, as if on cue, her stomach made a noise that would sound like Big Foot was alive. "Please, tell me that's my plate."

Clarice chuckled and lifted the tray to set over her daughter's lap. "All yours, baby." She looked over at Hannibal with a slight smile. "Should we tell her what the plan is? I think we've all had enough surprises for the year."

Hannibal grinned with a nod before showing Bella a brochure on attractions of Florida. "This train is going to take us to Orlando. We can't stay there though. Once the FBI finds out what Will was driving, they will track down the van outside of Union Station. It will take them enough time to search the tapes, but we need to get out of Orlando as soon as we arrive."

"Where are we going?" Bella asked as she bit down on a piece of bacon.

"Cuba." He opened on the pamphlet to a vacation ad. "Cocoa Beach has a cruise ship setting sail Wednesday morning heading to Cuba. We can drive to Cocoa tonight, stay in a hotel tomorrow, and wake up to board the next day. We'll arrive to the island on Friday."

Bella frowned. "Then, what?"

Hannibal shrugged. "Depending on your pain level, we would fly to Argentina either Friday or Saturday."

"Ideally, we would leave as soon as we step foot in Cuba." Bella concluded. She shook her head. "We're not going to risk being caught over something Will Graham did. I'm fine. I'm sitting up, eating. I'll be fine."

"Bella, you froze like ice the moment you woke up." Clarice reminded her. She stroked back Bella's hair. "Yes, it would be safer law wise to fly out as soon as possible. But, we don't want to set you back in your recovery. Your health is more important."

"Your mother is right." Hannibal agreed with a single nod. "I can't stitch you up in the middle of an eleven hour flight. I've been dodging law enforcement for years, Bella. You won't be the reason I get caught now."

She popped a grape into her pop. "Exactly my point. We get on a plane Friday."

* * *

Delia stood outside the pole shed looking in at the glass cage that Will had set up. The old yard it was in had been shut down for years. Someone called it in because the light was on all night and into the late morning. He drove his boat across the bay and investigated the scene for himself before calling authorities on the discovery of a bloody corpse hanging inside. With their knowledge of Hannibal Lecter being back in town, the case was quickly handed off to the FBI.

The phone call was expected, and Delia had stayed up all night waiting for it.

The scene wasn't much different from Krendler's. The organs and digestive track were spewed out of the body with a theatrical flare. The skin wings on his back wasn't a first for the psychiatrist. She remembered the crime scene photos from the Memphis Courthouse Slayings. The missing eye and mangled ear were courtesy of Bella's encounter with him earlier, but the lack of a face was something a little different. Instead of just skinning, it was a brutal mutilation where flesh, tissue, and muscle were cut through. Only blood and a few pieces of tattered tissue clung to the bare teeth and jaw bone of the FBI's former profiler. The image was close to what she imagined Mason Verger looked like after his encounter with Hannibal Lecter.

The only thing that didn't fit was the slitting of the wrists on Will's body. The wrists were facing outward to clearly showcase the lacerations along the veins. No piece of evidence in Lecter's file came close to resembling it.

Along the far wall of the cage, a surgical table and instruments sat in dried pools of blood. Images of Will being tied to the table as his organs were pulled from his body flashed through her mind. The man was targeting an FBI agent and her daughter, but this was overkill even for Hannibal Lecter.

"One last send off from Dr. Lecter to Will Graham." Delia breathed. She glanced at another agent. "Do you think he was trying to send him to heaven with the angel wings?"

The agent jutted his chin towards the dangling body. "The wings are jagged in the back. It was a send off to hell. The only thing he didn't do was cut a Devil's tail into his back." He walked over with a small device in his hands. When Delia held out hers, he dropped the small camera into her latex glove. "The blood on the table isn't his though. I don't know what's all on there, but I know it isn't pretty."

Delia frowned before turning the camera screen towards herself and looking down at the still image of the paused video. Will Graham, eye patch and surgical tools, stood over Bella with a skin flap missing from her back. "Holy shit."

* * *

"Thank you." Clarice smiled, handing a small wad of cash to the motel clerk and taking the key.

After managing to keep a low profile on the eighteen hour train ride, they had gotten off the same way they got on. With Bella's wheelchair, a nice couple allowed them to get into a cab they had just hailed. Between her back and her leg, Bella was moving like a turtle, but she wasn't whimpering or crying out in pain anymore. The pain was settling in and easing with her meds. Hannibal quickly found a place to rent a car and drove them all to their home for the next day.

Clarice walked out of the small office and held up the number eight for Hannibal to see in the car. He nodded before pulling away from the front and driving closer to their room. Luckily, Clarice had talked her way into a ground floor room. It was late, nearing ten, and she was more than ready to lay down and get Bella out of a car. Despite her stubbornness, she knew her daughter was in pain.

She opened the motel door and jammed a chair in front of it before hurrying back to the car to grab the bags. Hannibal got out of the driver's seat and opened up the back door to help Bella out, easing her onto her feet and keeping an arm around her to help her walk inside the room. They all relaxed though the moment the motel door was closed and the outside world could no longer stare.

Hannibal turned on the TV, switching it to the news. "If they put out our pictures, we'll have to abandon this place and hide out somewhere."

"They hadn't announced your return yet when we got off our train. The attendants were more than pleasant to us." Clarice stated as she lifted her bag up to rest on the bed. "Do you think they would have found the van yet?"

"It's possible. I'm not sure where the security cameras at the hotel were." Hannibal explained before sitting down next to Bella on the bed and continuing to stare back at the TV. "We left enough clues inside of it. Once they sink their claws into it, it won't be long before they figure out we went to the train station. Their work on camera footage is either going to make us or break us by Wednesday."

Bella rested her head on Hannibal's shoulder. "And if they decide to out us to America. It would be better to get on a plane now."

Hannibal took her hand into his. "Not quite, my little bird. As soon as they find out we took the train to Orlando, they will be checking every airport in Florida for our faces. They'd expect us to flee as soon as possible. What would happen if they found out what plane we were on while we were still on it?"

"Let's not think about that." Clarice smirked as she pulled out her pajamas. She went over to Bella's bag. "Baby, do you want to change before laying down?"

"I want to shower." Bella muttered before standing up with Hannibal's support.

He helped her over to Clarice and her bag. "We need to keep your stitches dry for another day. Your best option would be to shower Wednesday morning." He walked into the bathroom and went through the towels before finding a soft washcloth. "You can use warm water to get this damp and wash yourself. You might want to have your mother help you."

Clarice stroked Bella's hair and playfully teased her. "You always loved bath time."

"At this point, I don't care. I haven't had a shower since Saturday night." Bella sighed before Clarice handed her a stack of fresh clothes and helped her towards the bathroom. "We can't plastic wrap my stitches?"

Clarice chuckled as she lowered Bella onto the toilet seat. "No. Just call for me if you want help. I know you are Ms. Independent, but you're not exactly your normal self right now." She leaned against the door frame, meeting her daughter's tired eyes. "You're going to get through this. It's painful, but you are already healing, baby."

Bella nodded and rested her head on the counter, hugging herself. "Is it bad that I want Will Graham to be alive?"

"Why would you want that?" Clarice asked, squatting down in front of Bella. Her worry level increased when she saw the tears building in Bella's eyes.

"I want to kill him myself." Bella confessed in a whisper before her body shook with a sob. The motion caused a painful whimper to leave her throat, her sob creating a searing pain down her back. She reached out for Clarice, gripping onto her arms as the events of the past forty-eight hours caught up with her.

Clarice looked over her shoulder as Bella slumped down onto the floor and into her arms. "Hannibal?"

Hannibal stood and hurried over, kneeling down beside Clarice to witness Bella's breakdown. In that moment, he had never felt more useless. He could patch up her bullet wounds, stitch up her lacerations, but the trauma that Will Graham had inflicted on her was more than just a bandage he could slap on. He had never been in this situation. With Clarice holding a clinging Bella, his lack of experience was starting to show. Thankfully, Bella wasn't looking for comforting words or promises of better days.

Her hand reached out and grabbed onto his, holding on tightly. He leaned forward, as if he had been doing it for years, and rested his forehead against hers. With both he and Clarice there shielding her from the world, her sobs eventually stopped wracking her body and exhaustion claimed her.

* * *

Thank God Jack Crawford wasn't alive to see this day.

The footage from the small camera had been turned over and downloaded into FBI evidence added to Hannibal Lecter's case file and starting Agent Clarice Starling's. The video had been playing on repeat in many offices, including Delia's. It remained frozen in the moment just before Clarice touched Will Graham's face for the first time. The last moment of her innocence of being a criminal. The still image mocked her, reminding her of how blind she had made herself.

Up until Clarice stalked towards Will, Delia had watched that segment over a dozen times, examining Bella's condition and Lecter's immediate concern to care for her. It was everything after she couldn't stomach. The mutilation to Will's face, Hannibal's own flamboyant touch to creating a theatrical discovery of the body, but what made Delia physically ill was the moment Clarice told Bella of the wedding and her new name.

Clarice and Bellona Starling-Lecter. The rumors she had adamantly denied to every agent for years were true, making her look like a fool. Now, rumors were swirling every corner of the department, and she didn't have the desire to defend the person she believed to be her best friend, not that she could deny anything anymore. The fact that she didn't know Clarice as well as she thought she did was glaringly clear, and it stung as if being slapped with each sideways glance her way.

And with every tick of her clock, the FBI was becoming the headquarters of clowns. Two dead bodies, Krendler and Graham, and no evidence had surfaced of what Will had been driving or where the family of three had disappeared too. The airports had been scoured. She had gone through security tapes along with four other agents. No sign of them boarding a plane. Four agents were housed at Clarice's townhouse, protecting each other in the event that Clarice showed up with Hannibal and ransacking the residence for any evidence of their relationship.

"Mapp!" Another agent called out her name from the doorway to her office, holding up a small paper with a code on it. "Stolen van was found with bloody clothes inside. Matches the clothes on Dr. Lecter, Starling, and Bella. Van is being brought to impound for testing, but it was found outside of Union Station."

"Get a warrant for their security footage." Delia demanded as she stood from her chair and took the note. "I want it yesterday."

* * *

Clarice exited the bathroom with a warm, damp washcloth before seeing Hannibal with a stack of clothes for himself. "The shower doesn't get hot until you really crank the knob. I wouldn't suggest adjusting the shower head either."

"I noticed the crust on it earlier." Hannibal breathed before kissing her cheek. He noted the cloth in her hand and squeezed her arm. "Remember to be mindful of her thigh. That bandage should be changed soon."

Clarice nodded before Hannibal departed to the bathroom, and she slowly made her way to Bella's side. After soothing her into her tear-induced sleep, Hannibal had carefully managed to get her into bed without waking her up from pain or discomfort. With the loose clothes Bella had changed into on the train, it was easy for Clarice to lift the material and wash Bella's skin. Remembering Hannibal's warning, she was careful with Bella's thigh, rolling the leg of her pants up slowly.

Her actions didn't really sink in though until she grabbed Hannibal's medical kit and pulled away the old bandage to replace it. The little girl she had cared for, who she loved more than anything in the world, had suffered so much trauma in the past few days. One incident was staring back at her in the form of a bullet hole. Like the stitches, it was healing, but it would be a long road of recovery to get Bella back to where she was Friday night at her performance.

Clarice placed the new bandage on Bella's thigh before lifting up Bella's shirt to reveal her back. She could see the evidence of healing, but it was still another mark on her daughter. The scars that she had herself were wounds she suffered on the job. She put herself at risk. The scars on Hannibal were wounds he suffered from his lifestyle, being constantly on the run. The scars on their daughter - they were the cause of her and Hannibal. Bella's crime in her attacker's eyes was just existing in this world. The guilt sent a wave of nausea over her, but she tended to Bella's desire to have some semblance of cleanliness before she woke up for the day.

Once she put Bella's clothes back in their proper order, she laid the quilt over her, hoping that she would sleep through the night, and stood as Hannibal emerged in new clothes. He paused in the doorway though seeing Clarice's clear distress. "What's wrong?"

"We did this to her." Clarice declared in a whisper, her voice choking mid-sentence. She blinked, trying to rid herself of her emotions, but they continued to blur her vision anyway. "Hannibal, you and I got out of this unscathed. But, look at Bella. Look at our daughter. We did that to her."

Hannibal hurried over and wrapped his arms around her, gently shushing into her ear. "You assured me, and now I'm assuring you. We did not do this to her. We tried to prevent this. Will Graham decided that our lives weren't worth it. He decided that we all needed to suffer. Our actions may have played a role in his decisions, but we didn't do anything wrong, Clarice. The only thing we are guilty of is falling in love with the one person we weren't supposed to be with." He kissed her head, her hairs tickling his nose. "The fact of the matter is, we will help her recover. The wounds will heal, all wounds will heal. We will be there every step of the way. It's going to be painful, and we are going to lash out, but we will get through it as a family. Finally, as a family."

Clarice took a deep breath, pressing herself into his chest. "That family word is really sticking with you."

"If I were to be deprived of everything in the world, you and Bella would be the only pieces of my universe I would wish for." Hannibal breathed. "And if I were to lose all self-control, the only thing I would know is the instinct to protect the two of you."

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	52. Chapter 52

**Please review!**

"You're pushing yourself." Clarice sighed, trying to help Bella as she crept her body around so her pillow was at the foot of the bed.

"I'm bored." Bella groaned before relaxing back onto her pillow. "At least now I can watch the TV."

Hannibal smiled as he pulled on his jacket. "That move is probably going to knock you out for an hour or two. Your body needs to rest, Bella." He kissed Clarice's cheek. "I'm going to take the rental car back, tell the dealer we're headed to Europe if they ask."

Clarice turned and pecked his lips before he walked away. "When should we expect you back?"

"Not until late, probably around the time Bella gets her next dose of pain medication." Hannibal estimated. "Once I get back, we can take Bella's stitches out. Your burner phone is charging on the nightstand. I will call you when I am on my way back. If you don't hear back from me, you two are to get on the boat tomorrow and get off in Cuba. Follow the plan."

"We're not leaving without you." Clarice stated.

"I will find a way to meet you in Cuba if I can't get back." Hannibal reassured her.

Clarice shook her head still. "Hannibal, we are not splitting up. If you get caught, if something happens, you let us know, and we will figure something else out. You've waited for me for twenty-five years. Bella and I can wait for you."

Bella raised up her arm from the elbow down. "I agree with Mom on this. They may be looking for all three of us, but they aren't going to think to look for us on a cruise ship. Your MO is flights."

"This isn't about what we want. If the situation calls for us to split, we need to in order to reach our goal." Hannibal retorted, but even as the words left his mouth he felt his argument slipping. It wasn't what he wanted either, and a sigh fell through his lips before he could stop it. "I will be back tonight. Bella, you need to drink plenty of fluids and sleep. Tomorrow morning is going to put a lot of strain on you."

Bella yawned against her pillow, her eyes beginning to drift shut even as she fought it. "I've been through worse. Just hurry back."

Hannibal smiled seeing her heavy eyes close to rest before he leaned down and kissed her head. He turned to Clarice, kissing her once more. "Do you need anything while I'm out? We packed sparingly in our hasty departure."

Clarice glanced back at her bags before seeing the envelope with their IDs inside. "How about wedding rings?" She looked back at Hannibal. "We don't have the marriage certificate or Bella's new birth records, but we can at least have wedding rings."

"I will make the proper arrangements to get all of them." Hannibal flashed a grin before leaving the small motel room.

* * *

Delia and the team sat around the conference room table, waiting for the DNA results on everything collected at the hotel and from the van. Union Station was gathering their tape information and sending it over with a courier in the morning. She knew it would be too late if they weren't already. Dr. Lecter was a creature who avoided risk. Staying longer than needed was only tempting fate, but she knew Bella's injuries would limit quick routes of escape if he really cared about her health. As much as she hated to admit it, the video showed how much he cared for Clarice and Bella. Every psychiatrist around the country would be calling in as soon as they discovered Hannibal the Cannibal was capable of having a child and came back to bring his family with him.

Every agent was silent, even when the phone started ringing. No one dared to reach for the device. The results of the tests were already known, but the scientific evidence to prove it would make it real.

So, it was with shaking fingers that Delia answered the phone and put it on speaker. "This is Agent Mapp."

"We have the results back for the Starling-Lecter case." One of the technicians sighed, her voice already conveying everyone's worst fear. "The clothes in the van were that of Hannibal Lecter, Clarice Starling, and Bellona Starling. On Dr. Lecter's and Agent Starling's clothes, there were large blood stains consisting of Will Graham's blood and Paul Krendler's. Ms. Starling's clothes had trace amounts of Mr. Graham's, but mostly consisted of her own blood." Papers were shuffled on the other end, and every agent knew it was more to delay the inevitable than to actually try to remember what the results said. "In the case of Dr. Lecter being Ms. Starling's father, I'm afraid those tests concluded that he is her father. Ninety-nine point nine, nine percent. There's no question he's her father."

Delia ran a hand down her face. "And, the evidence collected from Agent Starling's house?" There was silence. "Were they sleeping together again?"

The technician's voice became smaller if it were even possible. "I'm afraid that tests done on the sheets proved that to be true as well. We can't determine how old the body fluids are, but they are both present."

"Thank you. I'll look for the report when it arrives." Delia stated before ending the call. She looked at the pale faces of the agents around her. "This is what we all assumed. Let's keep our heads on and focus on finding them. Tapes from Union are coming. Has anybody talked to Bella's friend, the one whose parents were murdered by Graham?"

One of the agents signaled a chance to speak by wagging his pencil. "We talked to her about her witnessing her parents' deaths, but we haven't questioned her about Agent Starling or Ms. Starling's behavior in the past that would seem concerning."

Delia nodded. "Let's get her and the boyfriend in bright and early tomorrow."

* * *

Hannibal dropped the keys into the dealer's outstretched hand with a smile. "I thank you for your service."

"Thank you for choosing us." The man was overly enthusiastic about his job, too eager to be at a rent-a-car counter. "I hope it worked out for you."

With a slight nod, Hannibal turned and left. The dealership was nearly sixty miles from the motel, and he would stick out like a sore thumb trying to catch a ride on the highway like a hitchhiker. In this day in age, the cops would probably be called on him for walking alongside the busy road. His attention moved to the chain grocery store across the street.

One woman, struggling to pay attention to each child of her litter, was balancing her purse on her arm, a young tot, and a list that consisted of multiple pages of legal pad paper. With a slight twitch of her finger, the lights of her soccer mom mini van flashed to signal it locked. The opportunity surged Hannibal forward.

* * *

Clarice sat on the armchair next to Bella on the bed, stroking her hair away from her face. With her body focusing its energy on healing, she'd been in and out of consciousness all afternoon. Despite her desire to talk with Bella after their near deaths by the hands of Will, she was pleased that her daughter sleeping meant she was healing. She'd even escaped to the small gas station across the street to grab whatever fruit she could find, knowing the vitamins would help her heal faster.

When her phone rang, she answered it before the first ring could end, wanting Bella to remain undisturbed. "Hello _hubby_, I'm assuming you are on your way back. Looks like you'll be back before dinner."

"It appears that way, wife of mine." Hannibal nearly purred into the phone. "Once I ditch the car and return, I was thinking of making dinner. The manager said there was a kitchenette by her office, yes?"

Clarice quirked an eyebrow. "She did. I'm assuming we'll be dining over Paul Krendler for the last time. I'd say pity, but I'm rather looking forward to being done with him."

"I as well, my dear." Hannibal stated before pulling onto the highway. "I'll pick up the rest of the ingredients needed, along with something to make for Bella. I'm sure her system is in need of some nourishment."

Her eyes glanced over to the cooler with Paul's organs inside, sitting on fresh ice. "I've been feeding her fruit whenever she's awake. I'm sure whatever you make is something she will love. When did you want to take her stitches out?"

Hannibal switched on his cruise control, seven miles above the speed limit. With the flow of traffic, camouflaged. "After she falls asleep for the night. I'll get the anesthetic running through her system and then take out the ones on her head and her back. I'm sure she will be itching to take a shower tomorrow as soon as she wakes." He glanced to the time of the radio. "In twenty-four hours, you will be an international fugitive. Any fear settling in, my lamb?"

"Only excitement." Clarice grinned. "I'm ready, Hannibal."

* * *

Getting access to the kitchenette was an easy task before Clarice walked inside with the small cooler in hand. During a few moments of alertness, she had told Bella that Hannibal would arrive shortly to make dinner for them all. With the promise of food, Bella's protesting stomach silenced as she fell asleep again. Now, she was staring at a small gathering room that was most likely reserved for family gatherings. A couple couches, TV, and ping pong table were on the other side of the room from the small space dedicated to being a kitchen.

Discovering a few clean pans and washcloths, Clarice began wiping down the countertops when Hannibal walked inside with a couple plastic grocery bags. He grinned at her, kissing her without watching where he set down the bags. "Welcome back." She whispered when he pulled only an inch away.

"What a way to be welcomed back." Hannibal nodded before kissing her again. His warmth did pull away after a moment to survey their work space. "I guess this will do for one meal. Although, I served Paul on my finest of China the last time we had him for dinner."

"I remember." Clarice smirked. She started digging through the bags, pulling out what he brought. "Chicken wings?"

Hannibal rolled up his sleeves, reaching for the cooler. "For Bella. The seasoning for the liver will pair nicely with the wings as well."

Clarice chuckled softly as she began organizing. "I never pictured you slaving over chicken wings."

"When you first met me, my dear," Hannibal began before his lips skimmed her ears. His hands did the same to her sides, barely touching but causing a ripple of goosebumps along her arms. "I bet you didn't picture me over lots of things, including you."

Clarice grinned, biting her lip. "Doctor, you are being uncharacteristically forward this evening. But, I can assure you of one thing," she turned in his arms, causing his pelvis to pin hers against the countertop, "my thoughts of you have been tainted since that meeting in the basement." Once the words left her lips, she found herself hoisted onto the counter and to the mercy of his mouth.

* * *

"Okay, bags are packed." Clarice stated after doing another sweep of the hotel room. She looked back at Hannibal helping a freshly showered and stitch-free Bella into her wheelchair, happy to see that Bella wasn't cringing with every move she made. "Passports, cash, cruise information, medications. I think we are set to go."

Bella frowned as she glanced around the room herself. "What about the cooler?"

"We don't need it anymore." Hannibal stated calmly before backing out of the room with her, tilting the wheelchair back slightly. "We've all had our taste of Krendler now. Our taxi is waiting rather patiently, so I suggest we leave."

"Aren't we going to be there early?" Bella asked as Clarice closed their door and walked ahead to the cab.

Hannibal rolled Bella alongside the car before Clarice helped her inside. "We are scheduled to be one of the first ones to board because of the room we booked. I'd rather get on the ship before it is crawling with tourists anyway." He walked around to the other side of the car, folding the wheelchair into the trunk, and slid inside as Clarice did the same. He leaned forward to the driver. "Port Canaveral, please."

* * *

"I've gone over this a million times." Winnie sniffed, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "Bella and I ran out. Clarice was already on her way. I guess she suspected Graham, and Bella had told her over the phone that he was at the house. By the time everything happened, Clarice was there. She brought us straight here." She looked down at the pictures: a mug shot of Hannibal Lecter and a FBI ID photo of Clarice. "Until a couple weeks ago, Bella didn't know who her dad was."

Delia's eyes narrowed. "A couple weeks ago? How do you know that?"

Winnie sighed, leaning her head heavily against her raised fist propped on the table. "Bella called me and told me she needed to get out of the house. When I pulled up, she stormed out of the house with Clarice yelling after her, but Bella told me to drive. So, I did." Wiping her eyes again, she remembered the night, realizing how much she hadn't picked up on. "We got booze, but Bella was livid. She drank the whole bottle. We ended up at the park down the street from her house, and she started ranting about how the Beer Can Killer should come kill her before her daddy did. It was. . .scary."

"Did you ask her about it later?" Delia asked.

"Of course. We went shopping a few days later, and I asked her what she was talking about." Winnie explained. "But, she was back to her composed self. She was vague about it, back to 'I don't know who he is'. All she said was that he probably killed people." She shook her head. "That was my favorite part about her. How composed she could be. Chet Krendler could threaten to rape her, and she kept a calm exterior even if she was freaking out inside, not that I blame her."

Delia's eyes widened. "What do you mean Chet Krendler threatened to rape her?"

Winnie's eyes widened. "Uh, he basically told her that she'd have sex with him whether she wanted to or not. He's been saying it for years. Once we got into high school and he made friends on the football team, he and his buddies would create ambushes in the hallways just to wrap his arm around her." She scoffed. "Bella was getting scared. He was really coming after her lately. Thank God Joe showed up at Bella's ballet performance though."

"Why?" Delia questioned, her eyebrow raising in curiosity.

"One of the guys on the football team told me Chet was planning on taking Bella that night after the performance. I guess Chet saw Joe and decided not to go through with it." Winnie sighed. She looked down at the photos again. "So, I'm kind of glad he's dead."

* * *

Winnie was led towards the elevators when one opened to reveal Joe standing with two other agents. "Joe!"

"Winnie!" Joe gasped before rushing out and hugging her. "Oh my God, I've been meaning to call you. I heard about what happened." He looked back at the agents around them. "Can I have a moment to talk to her alone?"

Delia bit the inside of her cheek with a frown before nodding. "Make it quick." She motioned for the agents to move back and watched as the two walked down the hallway to have a little more privacy.

"I was so sad when I heard about your parents. That must've been awful." Joe breathed. "I've been so busy just trying to wrap my head around Bella. I'm sorry."

Winnie shook her head with a small smile and tears in her eyes. "Don't be. I understand. I've been trying to adjust myself." She rubbed his arm. "So, you heard that Hannibal Lecter is her father, that she and Clarice ran away with him."

Joe nodded. "Yes, it's insane. I can't believe she would do that."

"She's safe, Joe." Winnie whispered. She glanced around. "I met him after Bella saved me from Will. He adores her. I don't understand the situation myself, and I'm not going to try to. He makes Bella happy, and that's all I'm worried about."

Joe pursed his lips together, shaking his head. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Winnie saw the pain on his face and rested her hands on his shoulders. "She was probably afraid of losing you." She shrugged. "As much as she tried to get over you, she couldn't. Joe, she loves you, and I mean she fucking loves you. If she didn't tell you, it was because she was afraid of how you would react." Her eyes cast down to the floor. "I don't know how, but I think she'll try to reach out to us. I'm not sure how though."

Joe smiled softly. "She'll find a way."

* * *

Hannibal waved to the cab driver as he drove away, leaving them at port with their things. He turned back to Clarice. "We board in twenty minutes, and then we're gone forever. Is there anything you'd like to do?"

"I hear you can wrestle gators around here." Bella piped up with a smirk, chuckling when Hannibal tilted her back again so she could meet his eyes.

Clarice smiled. "I think I'd like to make that phone call."

"The scrambler is already installed onto your burner phone. Once you hang up, it will be like the phone call was never made." Hannibal stated before jutting his chin towards her. "Set the record straight, my dear." He smiled as Clarice turned, pressing the phone to her ear, before returning his attention to his daughter. "Now, you, my little bird, have a very important decision to make. We are about to board a ship with unlimited food options, and you need to decide what you want for dinner."

Clarice sat down on a bench nearby, keeping her eyes on Hannibal as he twirled the wheelchair around to entertain their daughter. She smiled before the other end of the line picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey Delia."

Silence hung on the line for a moment, and Clarice could hear the buzz of the office in the background waiting for Delia's next words. "Clarice. . .should I even bother tracing this phone call?"

"You can if you want. You won't find us." Clarice stated plainly.

Delia sighed. "So, what? Did you call to rub it in? Or, did you want to clear your conscience before the father of your child decides to serve you alongside Krendler's organs with a bottle of Chianti?"

"I wanted to call, because I owe you an apology." Clarice replied. The buzz of the office was silent, and she could only assume that their phone call was on speaker for the rest of the agents to hear. "I lied to you about who Bella's father was, because I was trying to protect her. I made the choice to be with Hannibal, and vice versa. But, she didn't choose who her parents were. I just wanted her to have the chance to live a normal life. Little did I know that she felt like an outsider in her own life, much like myself." She bit her lip. "The night Hannibal served Paul, I realized that I could only ever be myself with him. The FBI wouldn't accept the truth, and they wanted to bury me if I couldn't spin it for them. So when he showed up at my house later that night, I gave into the feelings I'd been fighting for years."

"You betrayed the country you worked so hard to protect." Delia seethed.

Clarice closed her eyes. "The FBI betrayed me. I stand by the morals and virtues I always have. I haven't changed, Dee. I just fell in love with someone I was forbidden to fall in love with. And, I don't regret it. He makes me happy, and he makes Bella happy. She deserves that: to be happy. Spending her whole life with rumors of being the child of Krendler or Crawford to Hannibal and then to be terrorized by Chet at school everyday, she deserves so much more than Hannibal and I can do for her, especially after what Will did to her."

Delia swallowed hard. "How is she? I saw the footage."

"She's recovering." Clarice breathed. She chuckled watching Hannibal speak as if he were lecturing, most likely talking about the cities he's seen. "Hannibal has been taking good care of her. He removed her stitches last night. The bullet wound in her leg is taking longer, but Will didn't really take it easy on Bella after he shot her. Despite all her wounds, I've never seen her this happy. She's free. We all are."

"He still killed over two dozen people that we know of." Delia stated. "You can still turn him in. Things can go much easier for you if you just turn yourself in."

Clarice shook her head. "Hannibal and I left the camera there to show you there's no going back for me. You watched as I carved up Will's face. What he did to me, what he did to Bella, I won't regret doing that to him."

Delia huffed out a breath. "The face, the wings, the mask - I've seen it all in Dr. Lecter's file. Why did he slit Will's wrists, Clarice?"

"Bellona was the Roman Goddess of War and Bloodlust. You should look her up. Interesting stories. There's a myth that the priests who worshipped her would wound their own arms and legs to sacrifice their blood to her." Clarice stated calmly, reflecting on Hannibal's voice down in the basement when she first met him. "It's referred to as 'the day of blood', March 24th."

"You were stabbed on March 24th when you were pregnant with her." Delia breathed, remembering the case file opened in front of her.

Clarice smiled sadly. "Yes, and, when she survived, I knew it was right." She inhaled slowly, the air filling her lungs comfortingly. "I just wanted you to know that we are happy, and you don't have to worry about us." She stood from the bench and looked on at her little family. No cages or masks or guns being wielded their way. They were truly free. "Goodbye Delia."

**Please review!**


	53. Chapter 53

**Please review!**

Bella smiled, her eyes still closed, as she smelled the telltale signs of breakfast being made downstairs. If she listened close enough, she could hear her parents discussing whether or not to come up and wake her. Deciding to end the debate, she slid out of bed and stretched as she walked down the hallway, happy to not feel a pain in her back with the movement. The only thing that remained on her back was a large red scar where Hannibal had stitched her up. Her leg was still recovering from her lack of using it, but she could dance for short periods of time. For now, she was happy with that.

"There is my little bird." Hannibal's voice echoed in the kitchen, his view allowing him to see the landing at the bottom of the stairs. "Good morning and merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Bella smiled as she entered the room. She sat down beside her mother at the kitchen counter, closing her eyes when Clarice pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Any news today?"

Hannibal grinned. "They finally discovered we were on the cruise, but they won't get any further than that." He set a plate of food down in front of her. "You need to eat all of that. Don't think I didn't see the slight limp in your step."

"She's still healing." Clarice smiled, brushing back Bella's hair. "At least her back is healed." Hannibal nodded her way, acknowledging the scarier of the two injuries sustained a month ago. She turned back to her daughter. "Anyway, what did you want to do today?"

"Is there something going on in town today?" Bella asked as she poured herself a glass of juice. "I figured with the holiday there would be too many people to go out."

Clarice smirked. "Day in town, huh? I figured you'd want to open up your presents."

Bella's eyes widened, her fork frozen halfway between her plate and her mouth as she looked from her mother to her father. "Presents? What presents? We haven't left the house."

"You haven't. We've been taking turns." Clarice chuckled before standing with her cleaned plate. She moved around to Hannibal, setting her dirty dishes next to the sink to be washed later. She leaned into Hannibal's side when his arm wrapped around her. "Your father wasn't too keen on EVERY holiday tradition, but I got some things by him with a little persuasion."

"Like the monstrosity that has your presents underneath." Hannibal huffed out. "We made it as elegant as possible though."

Bella nearly sprung out of her chair, sprinting towards the living room. "You got a tree!"

Clarice grinned when Hannibal couldn't contain his joyful smile. Despite his objections to having a Christmas tree, she had used their daughter's happiness to sway his mind along with the idea of giving her some traditions to hold on to. "I didn't even see a limp in her step. You made her so happy."

"We did." Hannibal corrected softly before taking a step forward with her to follow their daughter.

Bella had stopped in the living room when she saw the Christmas tree lit up with white lights and coordinating ornaments. Not a single fern out of place. She could also see the pile of presents surrounding the bottom, some with her name and others with her parents' names. But, her attention quickly moved to the book on the coffee table that had her name on it.

Moving to the book, she sat down on the floor before it, gently caressing the edges with her fingertips. "What is this?" She asked, never looking away from the book even as her parents walked in quietly. It wasn't until she sensed the mood shift that she peered over at them. "I've never seen this before."

"I made it for your father while you were growing up. It was an insurance policy of sorts." Clarice explained in a breath. She watched as Hannibal moved to sit on the couch behind Bella, leaning over her protectively. She sat down beside him, keeping eye contact with her daughter. "I knew one day you would need to know who your father is. My job was dangerous, and I could've died without warning."

"So, I made this book. One, to tell Hannibal everything that was happening with you. He didn't get to see you grow up, so I wanted him to have something tangible. Two, in the chance that I died, I knew you would end up with your father." Clarice whispered, stroking Bella's cheek. "The FBI would come to take you into care. If they didn't find this book, I knew your father would when he came to see if I really was dead."

"Either way, you would be leaving with me." Hannibal finished, kissing the top of her head. "The FBI would leak the information for how valuable it is. I would've tracked you down and killed anyone who stood in my way. My love for you and your mother is that strong."

Bella smiled, hugging his arm that had moved in front of her when he sat down. "So, does the scrapbook help you?"

"It certainly does." Hannibal reached forward and opened the book. "I see these pictures of you and keep them locked in my memory palace. Although we don't have many memories together, my mind allows me to imagine what it would have been like to play with you as a toddler or lull you to sleep in the middle of the night."

Bella looked at the photos with him. "I imagine too. It started when you gave me those tapes to listen to."

Clarice smiled. "What did you see, baby?"

"Playing a very interactive game of hide and seek." Bella grinned, eager to see more pictures when Hannibal flipped the page. "Everything has a purpose. I figured a game of hide and seek would be perfect preparation in the event that we were discovered somewhere."

Clarice propped her chin on Hannibal's shoulder. "That does sound like something you would do."

"It was both of you." Bella stated. "Most of my imaginations have had both of you."

Hannibal smiled before kissing Clarice's head. "As it should be." He reached into his back pocket and retrieved the small box he had there. Swinging his arm around, he held out the item to his daughter. "I was saving this for your last present, but you have spent all my patience looking at these photos." He pressed a kiss into her hair as her fingers took the box from his bigger ones. "Merry Christmas, my little bird."

Bella opened up the box and smiled seeing a necklace inside. Instead of diamonds or priceless gems or even a little charm, the centerpiece was the bullet Hannibal had extracted from her leg. "You kept this."

"He's been trying to figure out what to do with it since we got off our ship in Cuba." Clarice chuckled softly. "It's yours, baby. You've got the battle scars. That is truly yours."

"It can remind you of what's changed from then to now." Hannibal whispered before taking the chain and latching it around Bella's neck, adjusting the bullet to lie between her collar bones. "That you are strong, like a hawk."

* * *

"I believe she is down for the count." Hannibal announced quietly as he entered he and Clarice's bedroom upstairs. After opening presents and spending hours dancing to his piano playing, Bella's still healing body had fatigued to the point he had demanded she take it easy. He had seen her pushing herself and found the determination to be much like her mother's, but he didn't want her to strain herself too much despite her joy at the activity. "She'll be sore tomorrow."

Clarice smirked as she looked down at the orange in her hand. She had brought up a couple in a bowl, currently pealing her second one. "I would imagine so. She was like a leaping frog down in the ballroom." She held out an orange slice to him when he crawled onto the bed beside her, and he happily pulled it from her fingers with his teeth. "I know it wasn't your ideal way to spend the day, acknowledging Christmas, but I do appreciate it."

Hannibal bit half of the slice into his mouth, leaning back as he held the other half between his fingertips. "Despite the holiday, today was a rather enjoyable day. One I will look back on fondly. Who knows? I may want to do this again next year."

Clarice chuckled as she bit into her slice. "Who knew making you a family man would turn you onto traditions?"

"I suppose I would fall under that title." Hannibal pondered it for a moment, the title foreign to his own name. "Family man. I never thought I was even capable of that after the war. I lost everyone dear to me."

"It might be therapeutic for you to return. We could all go. Show Bella and I where you grew up." Clarice shrugged, turning on the mattress to face his lounging form. "You were just a child, Hannibal. There was nothing you could've done to save them."

Hannibal nodded. "Yes, but it would not be safe to return. I believe I would be safer in the FBI headquarters than to return to the Lecter Estate." He reached into the bowl in her lap and retrieved another slice. "Bringing the two of you there would only remind me of my nightmares."

Clarice frowned. "You never told me about any nightmares of Bella and I. Other than on the train to Florida, but nothing else."

"Bella's torment wrecked havoc on all our sleeping habits. If Bella wasn't having night terrors, we were. It's been one month, and we haven't gone a night without one." Hannibal reminded his wife. "The love I had for my Mischa has never been matched until I met you. My love for Bella. . .to describe that would be an injustice. I suddenly have a family, people to protect and who mean more to me than my own life. Bullets and blades don't frighten me. Harm to the two of you terrifies me to my core." He played with his slice in his fingers, tracing the edges with his index finger. "When I told Bella of Mischa, I had a nightmare while holding her in my arms. Mischa and I were in the barn, freezing. But before my eyes, Mischa had turned into a young Bella. The animals were coming to take her to the slaughter, and they had already sacrificed you, my lamb. Even an adult, the feared cannibal, I couldn't save you. Trapped by my mask and strapped to a dolley, I was forced to watch again - the slaughter."

"The screaming." Clarice hummed in agreement. Setting the bowl aside, she straddled Hannibal's hips, looking down at him as he lay back in the pillows. She knew any words she said would never help him. He tried to help her with the screaming, but it was only silenced when she held her daughter for the first time. She had her lamb. Although Hannibal had her too, he still viewed Will's actions as the beginning of failure. "I don't know what it's going to take for your nightmare to end. But, Bella and I are here for you. We're here, because you helped us. We're a family now, Hannibal. We protect you as much as you protect us. Whatever you need to do, I'm not going anywhere."

"When did the screaming of the lambs stop for you, my lamb?" Hannibal asked, the question on a mere breath. His hands kneaded her thighs, moving to her hips.

Clarice leaned down and pecked his lips, feeling his fingers flex against her skin. "The moment I heard Bella's heartbeat."

**Please review!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Please review! So, I read along with this as I posted, and I wanted to add a few things. The last chapter was the add-in that I felt this story could use, and this has been edited to continue that. **

_Five Years Later_

Hannibal stood in front of the Juliet balcony overlooking the main road that drove by their estate. It was still relatively early, most citizens around probably just waking up to the sounds of the singing birds flying from tree to tree.

Clarice was no exception.

Like clockwork, she roused herself out of bed and into his office when the coffee had been sitting long enough for the aroma to waft down the hallway and up the stairs to their master suite where he had left her to rest. He didn't need to turn to know what she looked like just rolling out of bed, but he turned anyway to the view that never tired him. It was one of the moments when it was just the two of them in a safe space. No aliases or clever disguises.

Her auburn hair was still long, slightly tousled from having just awoken. Her blue eyes sparkled, but clearly showed that she hadn't been up long. She wore a long, blush colored silk nightgown with matching robe. It was modest and classy with the white lace along the hem and neckline, but it gave him easy access and gave her physical reactions away to him whether they were fighting or warming up to strip down to nothing but bare flesh.

He was glad she had taken a liking to them.

Padding along the floor in her slippers with the bunny ears, she reached for the second cup of coffee he had poured before leaning into his side and kissing him. "Good morning. You got up earlier than usual today." She pointed out before sipping from her mug.

"My excitement wouldn't allow me to go back to sleep once I woke." Hannibal smiled lightly before looking back out the window. "Our little bird is flying home."

Clarice hummed in agreement. "She and Joe won't land for another few hours. I hope you don't plan to stand and wait by the window until they arrive." She nursed her coffee again, glancing around the room. "Don't start questioning our safety."

"It's a force of habit." Hannibal shook his head, walking away from the window. "There is still a considerable bounty on my capture, and yours as well, my lamb."

"Yes, but Bella and Joe aren't going to give you up for money, or anything for that matter." Clarice watched as Hannibal sat down on the leather sofa she usually lounged on when she read and Hannibal played one of the various instruments he had taken up. "You know Bella would do anything to protect us, and Joe has committed murder to protect her, even with you. She may be his wife now, but she's still our daughter, Hannibal. You have a family now. It's us against everyone else."

Hannibal smiled and reached out his hand, wrapping his arms around Clarice when she lowered down to sit across his lap. "It's not them I'm worried about. It's who could be following them."

"And, you've taught both of them how to watch their backs." Clarice reminded him. "We both have. Believe in your daughter's abilities. She's as wanted as the two of us."

Hannibal chuckled. "You say that with pride."

Clarice smirked. "I wasn't wanted by the FBI until I left. I ultimately accomplished my goal of being a known agent in the FBI, and I'm known for being who I am. Honest, respectful, one for rightful justice. I may be seen as a little crazy, but the rules are changing."

Hannibal smiled and downed the rest of his coffee, setting the mug aside. "Meanwhile, you're sitting with me - a convicted man-eating serial killer. Tell me, Clarice, what is my rightful justice?"

"Well," she turned in his lap, straddling his thighs with a sly grin, "I'm a little biased when it comes to you." She moaned softly lowering herself fully onto his lap, her lips meeting his.

Hannibal smiled into the kiss, his hands moving from the couch cushions beneath him to her thighs. The material of her gown was thin enough to allow him the knowledge of the goosebumps laying just underneath. Taking the material up as his hands carried forward to her hips, he allowed his thumbs to slide inward. The groan that erupted from his chest couldn't be contained when he felt nothing but bare flesh at her hips. "I'd still like to know my penance, Clarice." He whispered before feeling her lower his bottoms enough to free his erection. He guided her body onto him, taking in the wanton expression on his wife's face as her body accepted his intrusion. It was always a beautiful look that he took great pride in.

"Life." Clarice half moaned half purred as she rested her forehead against his and kissed along his jaw back towards his ear. "Life sentence."

"And, what is your protection, my dear? Glass cages? Masks? Zipper suits?" Hannibal taunted as she began moving her hips against his slowly.

Clarice exhaled sharply through a smile. "I would never allow anyone to take away the use of your hands. I happen to like what they can do." She kissed him again, bitting his bottom lip playfully and pulling back. "No, I wouldn't be afraid of you. Never have been. My protection from you. . .it isn't needed. You are my protection from you." She thrust her hips down on his a little harder and grinned when his jaw dropped the slightest in surprise. "But, we can use cuffs occasionally if you want to."

Hannibal smirked before pulling her hips down against his, causing her to grab both his shoulders. "My lamb, if your body is my prison, I will gladly sleep and eat three times a day. I would like to negotiate the one hour of physical activity rule though.

* * *

"She's here!" Clarice called out towards the kitchen as she headed for the front door.

Hannibal quickly moved to the doorway to peer out at the large expanse of their foyer. "But, dinner isn't done. I thought they weren't coming for another hour."

"Should I send our daughter away then so you can finish making diner?" Clarice asked with a smirk, knowing Hannibal's answer before the question fully left her lips. She didn't even pause her footsteps towards the front door.

"That's preposterous. I'll just refocus my attention on the appetizers." Hannibal declared before leaving to join Clarice by the front door. "How does she look?"

Clarice grinned as she opened the front door to see Joe and Bella climbing out of their car parked by their water fountain sitting in the center of their round-a-bout driveway. She peered back at Hannibal, seeing the slight acceleration in his step. It was rare to see her husband so impatient about his excitement. "She looks happy." Her eyes moved back outside, and she grinned when Bella met her eyes with bright ones of her own. "It looks like Europe treated you well."

Bella smiled as she and Joe walked up the front stairs. "We only had to flee in the middle of the night once." She dropped her bag onto the ground before wrapping her arms around Clarice tightly. "Hi Mommy."

"Hey baby." Clarice hummed, kissing her head and holding her tightly. She was glad that her daughter's favorite greeting after a rough day was now just her greeting. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. The next vacation we take is going to be much shorter." Bella stated before pulling away to allow Joe an embrace from her mother. She turned to Hannibal, grinning when his arms opened up to her. It was all she needed to throw her arms around Hannibal shoulders in a hug. "Hi Daddy."

Hannibal kissed the crown of her head, cupping the back of her head gently like one would a newborn baby. "Hello, my little bird. Welcome home." He gently ran his other hand up and down her back, feeling for any new wounds or scars. There was still only the one from Will Graham much to his relief. "I have dinner going. Would you like to help me finish up?"

"I would love to." Bella chuckled into his chest before walking with him inside, his arm still securely around her.

* * *

Bella wiped at the edges of her mouth, gazing at her complexion in the mirror, when a knock on the bathroom door startled her. "Bella, it's me. Can you open the door, please?" It was Clarice. Glancing back at herself again, she tossed the hand towel back down on the counter and opened the door to smile at her mother. "What's up?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Clarice smirked, her eyebrow cocking as she leaned against the doorframe. "I knew from the moment you got out of the car, Bella. You can hide the nausea, you can claim a padded bra, but you can't hide that glow. How far along are you?"

"Eleven weeks yesterday." Bella relented with a breath before leaning back against the counter with a smile. "Does Dad know?"

Clarice shook her head before entering her daughter's bathroom herself and closing the door. "He's been so nervous about making your homecoming perfect and having you back safe and sound. I think he'll notice something is different in the morning, but, if you want to surprise him, tonight is the night to do it."

Bella sighed. "I wanted to wait until Christmas, but Dad is too observant. That's part of the reason Joe and I decided to come home earlier. The past two weeks, every single thing has been making me sick, except for fruit. Just walking down the street made my stomach turn. I don't know how I'm going to make it through dinner without him wondering what's wrong."

Clarice bit her lip, debating whether or not she should even say the words. It was too similar to her own pregnancy, and she didn't want Bella to spend the next few weeks without energy. "When I was pregnant with you, I felt the same way."

"How did you deal with it?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I couldn't," Clarice whispered, "the only thing that didn't make me sick was standing over a bleeding body at a crime scene. A couple organs missing from a victim would've raised some questions."

Bella's eyes widened. "Human?" She ran a hand down her stomach protectively. Her body was running on watermelon at this point, and she knew if she didn't get something else in her system it could affect the baby's development and her own system. She bit her own lip as she looked back at Clarice. "I gotta tell Dad."

* * *

Hannibal set down the last of the plates before walking back into the kitchen. His steps paused though when she saw Joe and Bella standing by the counter with a box wrapped in white wrapping paper. Clarice sat at their kitchen island with the stool next to her pulled out for him. "What is this?"

Bella gestured for him to sit and waited until he did so before setting down the box in front of him. "Joe and I got you a little something, and we couldn't wait until Christmas to give it to you." She kissed Hannibal's cheek. "I hope you like it."

"I cherish anything you give me, Bellona." Hannibal smiled before delicately tearing away the wrapping paper. He frowned slightly when he turned the box over to see a set of teacups - white with gold around the edges. Four of them were hand painted with their names - Hannibal, Clarice, Bellona, and Joe. The rest were bare though. "Teacups? Do you think I'm running out of ones to shatter?"

Bella chuckled and shook her head, taking ones of his hands into hers. "These aren't meant to shatter." She opened the box and carefully pulled out one of the bare ones. "I want you to paint them when the time comes. Do you think you could paint a name on here in seven or eight months?"

Hannibal stared at the cup. "What's in-" His eyes widened the slightest before he looked up to Bella's matching eyes. "Are you pregnant?"

"Yes." Bella nodded with a smile.

"I'm going to be a grandfather?" Hannibal questioned, glancing between Joe and Bella.

Bella giggled and nodded again. "Yes, Dad. You will be a grandpa." She laughed when he set the teacup down and stood to hug her tightly. Her arms wound around him before she spoke into his chest. "Are you happy?"

Hannibal nodded and kissed her head. "Very happy." He kept his arm around her, but pulled back to rest his hand on her stomach. "The teacup is bigger than my grandchild." He looked over at Clarice, seeing her grin with tears in her eyes. "You knew, didn't you?"

"I could see it right when they got here." Clarice laughed before wiping at her eyes. She stood and kissed his cheek. "Her pregnancy is following mine closely."

Hannibal caught the meaning right away. "How closely?"

"I've only been eating fruit for thirteen days." Bella breathed. "I'm willing to try anything if it means not getting sick."

Hannibal rolled up his sleeves. "I know just what to make."

* * *

Bella stared down at the plate, the rest of her family staring at her expectantly with their own plates full of their meals. Hannibal cleared his throat. "I used your favorite meal seasonings to compliment the meat. Everything on that plate will help you and the baby."

"Are you okay, baby?" Joe asked, glancing between her and the plate.

"My mouth is watering, which is a first." Bella whispered. "Every aroma has been making me sick. So far, so good." She lifted her knife and fork and sliced into the cut of liver Hannibal had pulled out of the freezer. It went through like butter and sent another wave of aromas to flood her nose. The scent rose as quickly as her fork before the meat was between her teeth.

When her eyes closed with a swallow, the rest of them relaxed at the table. Clarice reached over and laid a hand on her daughter's back. "How was that?"

Bella slid her fork into another piece. "Delicious."

* * *

Clarice walked onto the back patio, finding Hannibal on the bench swing they had rarely used since arriving to Buenos Aires. He sat, his feet pushing the swing back and forth, while staring up at the night sky where the full moon lit up the night. Slowly approaching him, she sat down on the swing and lifted up her legs, allowing him to choose how slow or fast the swing went. "How are you doing, grandpa?"

Hannibal hummed through a smile. "Didn't think I'd ever be a grandpa, grandma."

"My God, we sound old." Clarice laughed. Hannibal's arm wrapped around her and pulled her back to his chest as he continued to rock the swing with his feet. "What are you doing out here?"

Hannibal tangled his fingers with hers. "Well, for one, trying to figure out where to put a playground." He smiled when Clarice chuckled again, the vibrations of the noise hitting his ribs. "I just wanted to take it all in. I never thought I'd have the chance to watch my own blood grow. Although your memorabilia of her childhood has created lots of fantastic imaginations for me, I don't have my own memories with her growing up. I never imagined showing up at your back door, after the FBI started coming to raid our dinner, in my wounded state would lead me to this moment in time. When you bandaged my hand and led me to your room, I considered myself lucky just to be with you, for you to choose me." He shrugged before kissing her head. "I guess I'm still in disbelief that I'll get that chance, the chance to watch our blood grow, with our grandchild."

Clarice kissed the back of his hand that was holding hers. "You deserve that chance, Hannibal."

"I, for one, think you'll be an amazing grandfather."

Hannibal and Clarice looked over and smiled seeing Bella emerge from inside the house. Clarice spoke first. "What are you doing up? I thought you and Joe had gone to bed."

Bella welcomed Hannibal's arm and curled up in his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "Joe went up. I just wasn't tired yet." She smiled feeling Hannibal's thumb gently rub over her shirt where her baby lay just underneath. "I figured you guys would be on your terrace."

"We were just discussing the idea of us being grandparents, enjoying the silence of the night." Hannibal stated, kissing Clarice gently when she caught his meaning. "We both agree that we feel too young to be called grandpa and grandma though."

"Well, you have a little bit of time to get used to it." Bella laughed. "Our family is just going to get a little bigger. Just one more teacup."

Hannibal grinned. "I love all my teacups, existing and non-existing." He kissed Clarice's head before looking down at Bella's stomach. "Welcome to the Lecter family, little teacup."

**Please review! And, that's the end of my first Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal story. I hope you guys liked it. I might do some more stories in the future, shorter ones that revolve just around Hannibal and Clarice, but we will see how you guys like this first. :)**


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